Characteristics
& Varietal
Diversity
Rice
bean is described
as an annual
(Purseglove,
1974; Raj, 1978;
Smartt, 1976;
National Academy
of Science,
1976) or a short-term
perennial, grown
annually (Duke,
1981) depending
on the variety.
The rice bean
plant is erect
to semi-erect
or a vine. It
is profusely
branched and
its vines sometimes
attain a height
of three meters
(National Academy
of Science,
1979). Leaves
are tri-foliate,
leaflets being
comparatively
broader, hairy
and usually
trilobed. Flowers
are conspicuously
bright yellow
and borne in
clusters (National
Academy of Science,
1979; Kay, 1979;
Mal, 1993).
Wild varieties
of rice beans
are perennial,
very viny, and
thin stemmed
with a tuberous
root system.
Seedlings grow
vigorously,
establish themselves
early, and smother
weeds (National
Academy of Science,
1979).
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| Rice
bean
plant |
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| Rice
bean
flower |
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Research
on seedlings
of different
crops in India
showed that
rice bean has
the highest
growth efficiency
and the lowest
respiratory
loss of seed
reserves. This
crop is largely
a self-pollinated
diploid (2n=22)
but there is
some evidence
of natural cross-pollination
(Sastrapradja
and Sutarno,
1977). Its pods
are medium long,
slightly curved
and beaked,
while seeds
of variable
size and color,
elongated with
a long linear,
raised and furrowed
hilum are predominant
(Duke, 1981;
Kay, 1979; Das
and Dana, 1981).
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Rice
bean
pods |
|
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Rice
bean
seeds |
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There
are five taxonomically
distinct botanical
varieties of
rice beans and
these are: (1)
the variety
major
found in the
hills of northern
India and Myanmar
with larger
flowers; (2)
variety rumbaiya,
cultivated in
Khasia Hills
of Myanmar with
short erect
or spreading
stems; (3) variety
gracilis,
a wild form
with slender
smooth stems
and narrow leaflets;
(4) variety
glaber
with smooth
stems and leaves
and (5) Phaseolus
torosus Roxb,
cultivated in
Nepal has reddish
pods, short
and sub cylindrical,
pale cream colored
seeds (Chandel
et.al., 1988).
Introduction
| Characteristics
& Varietal
Diversity
| Ecology
I Cultivation
| Uses
| Nutritive
Value |
Pest
& Diseases
| Yield
Potential
| References
