The cultivation of butterfly beans is popular in parts of India. And it is generally grown in arid and semi-arid regions with extreme weather conditions and less rain.
Butterfly bean is drought tolerant, can be grown in many soil types and is an important legume in arid and semi-arid regions of India and Pakistan.
Butterfly (Vigna aconitifolia) is a creeping annual herb that can reach about 40 cm in height.
The yellow flowers on the densely spaced, hairy branches of the butterfly plant turn into yellow-brown pods about 2 to 3 inches long.
The pods usually contain 4 to 9 seeds. The seeds are rectangular in shape and come in a variety of colors, including yellow-brown, whitish-green, and black spots. Butterfly bean seeds are very high in protein, containing up to 22-24% protein.
Butterfly bean plants are very drought tolerant and can create low ground cover when mature.
Butterfly beans are considered a possibly more important food source in the future due to their drought tolerance, ability to fight soil erosion, and high protein content.
origin
According to Wikipedia, butterfly beans are native to India and Pakistan. And it has long been grown for food, as well as forage and cover crops.
Butterfly beans are primarily grown in India, but are also grown in Australia, the United States, Thailand, and other parts of Asia.
Other names
Butterfly beans are also known by other names in other places and in many other languages.
His other names include Matte Bob, Mats, Dew Beans and Turkish Gram in English, Motth in Hindi, Math in Gujarati, Thanni Kaalu in Kannada, Matki in Marathi, Kancha Muga in Oriya, Thatta Payaru in Tamil and Bobbarlu in Telugu.
How to Start Growing Butterfly Beans
Growing butterfly beans is relatively easy and you can start growing if you are a beginner.
It is a short day crop that can be grown in almost all soil types and is one of the most drought tolerant legumes in India.
Here we describe more information about growing moths from planting, care to harvesting.
Choose a location
Butterfly bean plants can be grown anywhere and can be grown up to 1300 meters in elevation.
When choosing a site to grow butterfly beans, just make sure the site you choose has well-drained soil and access to sunlight.
Soil preparation
Butterfly beans are not picky about soil types, they can be grown on a wide variety of soil types. Plants can tolerate some salinity and have a wide pH range, typically 3.5 to 10.
Although butterfly bean plantations can be grown in a variety of soil types, they tend to do very well and prefer sandy soils.
Plowing with 1-1 cross-harrowing is just enough to prepare the soil. The use of chemical fertilizers in the breeding of moths is not common.
Although you can add organic matter to the soil if you really want to.
Climatic requirements for growing moths
Butterfly beans generally require very little watering to grow. And moth is one of the most drought resistant legumes in India.
The ideal temperature for growing butterfly beans is between 24°C and 32°C. But the plants can also withstand temperatures of up to 45°C during the day.
The ideal annual rainfall for butterfly plant growth is between 500mm and 750mm (but plants can also do well with an annual rainfall of 300mm).
The best time to grow butterflies
Mole is a Kharifa crop that is usually sown in May and June when the first monsoon rains begin. Deferred sowing can be done at the end of June or mid-July.
Choose a variety and buy seeds
Always try to choose varieties that grow well in your area. The moth is widespread in India, so seeds should be readily available in your area.
Today, some seed suppliers are available online. So you can also consider ordering seeds online.
Seeds per hectare
The butterfly can be grown as a monoculture or forage. When grown as a single crop, you will need around 10-20 kg of seed per hectare.
And 7-34 kg of seeds per hectare when growing butterflies as a fodder crop.
planting
Butterfly bean seeds are usually presented in rows 1 to 3 feet apart.
And sow the seeds 3 to 4 inches apart and 1/2 to 1 inch deep.
Light watering after sowing the seeds will ensure good seed germination.
Care
Butterfly bean plants generally require less maintenance than many other cash crops.
Although extra care will help plants grow better. Here we will tell you more about the care procedures.
Fertilizer: Butterfly bean plants do not require additional fertilization.
Watering: Although moths are very hardy and drought tolerant, they will thrive if properly watered. Watering, especially during flowering and pod development, will greatly benefit the plants.
Cannabis control: You don’t have to worry about weeds if you grow moths as a forage crop. But weed control is important if you are only growing moths.
Pests and diseases
The moth infects the yellow mosaic fungal virus, which is carried by the silver leaf whitefly.
Root and seedling rot Macrophomina phaseolina also cause damage, as do some species of Striga and the nematode Meloidogyne incognita.
The cultivation of some resistant varieties will be very useful in preventing most pests and diseases. Also maintain a good relationship with one of your local agricultural experts or specialists.
Harvest
It usually takes 75-90 days from planting to harvest.
Harvesting butterfly beans is quite difficult, and this is the main disadvantage of this crop.
Plants should be pruned with a sickle, as mowers cannot be used mainly because of the shape and density of the butterfly branches.
Then, after cutting, it is threshed and sifted for about a week.
yield
Currently, seed yield is low due to lack of advanced agricultural practices. The current yield varies from 70 to 270 kg per hectare.
Although studies show that this crop has the potential to increase yields (experimental seed yields of up to 2600 kg per hectare have been reported in the United States and Australia.
Uses of Butterfly Beans
The butterfly has many different uses. Whole or ground moth seeds can be cooked or roasted and can be used for breakfast or other meals.
In India (especially Maharashtra), butterfly beans were sprouted before cooking and used to make a spicy stew called Usal.
Moth seed flour is used to make bhuji, another tasty snack.
It is believed that “eating butterfly bean seeds can help treat fever”. The butterfly is also eaten by livestock.
Butterfly Bean Nutrition
Butterfly bean seeds are very nutritious. Typically, 100 grams of raw, uncooked butterfly seeds contain about 1.6 grams of fat, 23 grams of protein, 62 grams of carbs, and 343 calories.
Butterfly bean seeds contain anti-nutritional factors that limit available protein. But studies have shown that it contains significantly less of these factors compared to other grain legumes, making it a better choice to consume.
Soaking and cooking butterfly beans before eating helps break down anti-nutritional factors and make proteins more digestible.
If you prefer to eat butterfly beans, consider growing butterfly beans. Follow the instructions mentioned above and you will definitely be able to grow butterfly beans and get a good harvest. To be in a good health!
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