WINGED BEAN ( CHATHURA PAYAR)

INTRODUCTION TO LESSER KNOWN

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SPECIES OF KERALA

                                  VOL. 4

COMMON NAME:- WINGED BEAN

OTHER NAMES: -   Goa bean

Asparagus pea

                             Four-angled bean

                             Winged pea

BOTANIC  NAME: - PSOPHOCARPUS TETRAGONOLOBUS

MALAYALAM NAME: - CHATHURA PAYAR

Winged bean

                      

Winged bean is a tropical legume plant, native to New Guinea and named for its unique shape ie, The plant produces pea-like beans with four winged edges

It is a seasonal crop and plants will not flower if the day length is more than 12 hours .

Winged beans are  extremely versatile crop, almost every part of this unique plant is tasty and edible. Its leaves, fresh pods, dried beans and tubers are used for cooking; it is also used as animal fodder, green manure, and as cover crops.

NUTRITIVE VALUE:-

Per 100 gram (approx.)

Energy 409 Kcal

Protein 29.65 g

Fat  16.32 g

Carbohydrate 41.71 g

Sodium 38 mg

Cholesterol 0 g

          The beans themselves are similar to soybeans in both use and nutritional content .The seeds contain 40% proteins and the tuber about 20% proteins.

It is also rich in carbohydrates and vitamin A. 

MEDICINAL VALUE:-

Winged beans have the highest calcium content among all legumes and as such, are very beneficial for the human skeletal system. The calcium present in these beans helps in the production and maintenance of the bones and provides strength to overcome diseases and weaknesses.Winged beans are also a good source of natural minerals, vitamins (especially A and C), iron and enzymes.As a legume, wing bean scores high on protein content. In other words, it proves to be a good source of protein for humans as well as animals. 

Winged bean Flower

FOOD VALUE:-

Winged bean (pod) can be cooked like any other vegetable. Its tender leaves make good sauce and curry. Seeds of young beans (immature pod) taste like peas, can be eaten raw or pickled or cooked in water, coconut milk or oil. Dried seeds can be roasted like peanuts. The tuber-like-roots are eaten after boiling or frying.Winged bean tubers can be boiled, steamed, baked, fried, roasted and even made into chips.

METHOD OF CULTIVATION :-

        The winged bean can be grown in poor, sandy or clay soils without added fertilizer. The plant is one of the best nitrogen fixers ie, it has an ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and improves fertility of the soil. The plant requires very little or no fertilizers.

The seeds have a hard coat and it helps to soak them before planting to hasten germination. The plant grows very quickly. After sowing, it takes 8 to 10 days to sprout. After 8 to 10 weeks, the creeper will bear flowers, violet in colour. Within 4 weeks, tender beans will grow. Pod-bearing will last for 2 to 3 months. One creeper will bear 4 to 5 kilos of beans. The creeper has a well-developed root system. From it, the plant will sprout again in the next season. Yields of fresh pods are normally between 10-15 tons per hectare.

FOOT NOTE:-

According to Duke, 1981; and Oomen and Grubben 1977, winged bean leaves can produce about 8,000 kg/ha in 60 days or less. This comes to 135 kg/ha per day. This comes to about 63,500 calories; 6.75 kg of protein; 108 grams of calcium; 2.7 grams of iron; 4.1 grams of b-carotene; and 39,150 mg of vitamin C per hectare per day.