Common Name: Moth Bean

General Information

Moth bean is a low, trailing, hairy annual plant forming a mat-like growth on the surface of the soil. The erect stems may reach 10 - 40cm in length, with prostrate branches 30 - 150 cm long[, ]
The plant is sometimes cultivated, mainly in tropical and subtropical Asia, for its edible seed. It is also grown as a green manure and cover crop[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.

Habitat

In grass at elevations around 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Self, Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the lowland tropics, where it can be found at elevations from sea level to 1,500 metres[]. The plant grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is within the range 24 - 32°c, though it can tolerate 13 - 45°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 900mm, tolerating 400 - 2,500mm[]. Ome yield will be obtained even with as little as 50 - 60mm of rain spread over 3 - 4 showers during the growing period[].
Prefers a sunny position and a light, well-drained soil[]. Plants can also tolerate heavier soils, so long as they are well-drained[, ]. Succeeds in poor soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, but can tolerate 5 - 8[]. This species is the most drought-resistant of the Indian pulse crops[].
The seeds mature about 60 - 90 days after planting[].
Yields of seed vary between 200 - 1,500 kg/ha when grown in India, whilst 1,240 - 2,600 kg/ha has been achieved in the United States and Australia[, ].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[, ]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Edible Uses

Mature seed - cooked[, ]. Rich in protein, the dried beans are cooked either whole or split[]. They can be fried, boiled, or made into sprouted bean paste[]. The seeds are used like lentils in making a soup called dhal[]. The fried, split seeds are eaten as a snack food[]. The dried seeds can be ground to a powder and mixed with other flours to make unleavened bread[]. The protein in the seed has a lower digestibility than that of the mung bean (Vigna radiata). The digestibility of the starch and protein is considerably improved by processing treatments such as soaking, removal of the seed coat, germination and pressure cooking[].
Four to nine seeds are produced in a brown, cylindrical pod 25 - 50mm long and 5mm wide. The rectangular to cylindrical, whitish green, yellow to brown, often mottled with black seeds are 3 - 5mm long and 15 - 25mm wide[].


Young tender pods - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, , ]. The cylindrical seedpod is up to 5cm long[].

Medicinal

The seeds are used medicinally in diets to treat fevers[].

The roots are said to be narcotic[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant provides good weed control and adds nitrogen to the soil when it is grown as a cover crop for soil improvement as a green manure[].
In India the plant is usually grown as a sole crop, or is intercropped with pearl millet, sorghum or other cereals, occasionally with pulses[]. It is grown as a green manure in rotation with cotton[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - can be sown in situ. Presoaking overnight in warm water can shorten the time taken to germinate. It germinates best at a temperature of 25 - 27°c[].

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