Vigna umbellata

Red bean, rice bean

Short-lived, very hairy twining weed with yellow flowers and cylindrical pods. Native to India. The seeds used mainly for human consumption. It may be cut for hay when the pods are half-grown, but the hay should be handled as little as possible because the leaves drop on easily. The straw from seed-harvested vines may be dried, cut and fed to cattle. Though poor in digestible nutrients, it is relished by cattle. Before feeding, the woody portions and soiled or mildewed parts should be removed.

As % of dry matter

DM

CP

CF

Ash

EE

NFE

Ca

P

Ref

Fresh, mid-bloom,

Malaysia

32.0

16.9

30.6

7.8

1.9

42.8

1.03

0.26

292

Seeds, Malaysia

81.0

23.3

6.0

4.6

0.6

65.5

0.67

0.39

"

Amino acid composition as % of crude protein

Seed

Ref

72

Arg

Cys

Gly

His

Ils

Leu

Lys

Met

Phe

Thr

Try

Tyr

Val

7.5

0.3

-

3.4

5.4

4.2

8.7

1.2

5.8

4.6

0.8

0.8

5.9