Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dolichos lablab or hyacinth bean:

Its uses for feed, food and soil improvement

  • Published:
Economic Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

One of the 50 varieties or more ofDolichos lablab was introduced to São Paulo, Brazil, in 1949, from Angola, selected, multiplied and distributed to government agencies and to farmers; and it is now used for soil improvement, food and feed.

Outstanding results have been obtained on farms in the state of São Paulo by mixing 10–20% of Dolichos beans with maize and sowing the mixture together. After the corn harvest, lablab, which grows slowly during the first few months without competing with the maize, spreads out rapidly to form a dense cover several feet high, stays green, and continues to grow during the dry season. It can be used as green manure, and it almost doubled the maize and bean yield on fields where 33–40 tons per hectare of green mass were incorporated into the soil. The plant is palatable to livestock and can be grazed or fed in the stables.

Good results have been obtained when planted together with maize for silage and as a cover crop for orchards and coffee plantations. The beans can be used as feed or as food. The protein content of the beans vary from 20–28%; amino acids are well balanced with high lysine content. The leaves have 28% protein, and the whole plant from 13.56–22%, varying according to the season.

Dolichos lablab has many advantages: staying green during droughts; high yield of green vegetable mass, improving the soil; a good cover crop; a palatable fodder (cut, pastured or as silage); of a high protein content; an economic seeding method; easy harvesting of the beans.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahmed, Q. A. A Chonephora disease ofDolichos Lablal L, Indian Sci. Congr. Proc.36(3): 122. 1949.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bailey, L. H. The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture1: 1065. 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Calil, J. Pastagens mistas para engorda de bovinos durante a sêca. Fôlha da Manhã, Fôlha Agrop. São Paulo. 10. 1960.

  4. Candolle, A. De. Origine des plantes cultivées. Paris, 1883.

  5. Capoor, S. P. and P. M. Varma. A new virus disease ofDolichos Lablab. Cur. Sci.19: 218–249. 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cerighelli, R., P. Busson, J. Toury, and B. Bergeret. Contribution à l’étude chimique de quelques légumineuses tropieales utilisées dans l’alinientation. Ann. Nutrit. et Aliment.14: 161. 1960.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cheo, C. C. and A. E. Jenkins. Elsinoe and spaceloma diseases in Yunnan, China. Particularly hyacinth bean scab and scab of Castor bean. Phytopath.:35 339–352. 1945.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gaitonde, M. K. and K. Sohonie. On the occurrence of a trypsin inhibitor in field bean (Dolichos Lablab) and a few other common Indian pulses. Jour. Sci. Indust. Res.11B: 339–341. 1952.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ivanov, N. I.In Flora of cultivated plants. By X. A. Basilerskaya and H. I. Barulina.4: 649–659. Grain Leguminosae. State Agrie. Publ. Cy. 1937.

  10. Kar, A. The stipules, pulvinus and stipels ofDolichos Lablab L. and their vascular supply. Natl. Inst, Sci. India Proc.21: 137–142. 1955.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Krauss, F. C. The Pigeon Pea (Cajanus indicus), Its Improvement, Culture and Utilisation. Hawaii Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 64. 1932.

  12. Kunhikrishnan Nambiar. A new variety ofDolichos Lablab and its economic value. Madras Agr. Jour.31: 103–104. 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Leme da Rocha, G. Leguminosas Tropieais Labe-Labe. Gado Holandez. São Paulo246: 4–6. 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Majumder, S. K., M. Mutha and S. V. Pingale. Studies on the field control of Lablab pod-boring caterpillar. Ind. Jour. Entom.18(4): 397–407. 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Moreos, S. R. and A. M. Boctor. The use ofDolichos Lablab andLathyrus sativus in making of taamiah (bean cakes) in Egypt, Brit, Jour. Nutr.13:(2): 163–167. 1959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. --. O Labe-Labe 697. Est. São Paulo,Lablab and its economic value. Madras Agr. Jour.31: 103–104. 1943.

  17. Neme, X. A. Leguminosae for green manure and forage (Portuguese). Bull. Divulg. Dept. Prod. Veg. 1954.

  18. --. Labe-labe, outra leguminosa para São Paulo. Est Sao Paulo, Supl. Agr.6: 1955.

  19. --. O Labe-Labe 697. Est São Paulo, Supl. Agr.3: 1960.

  20. Patil, G. D. Anthesis and pollination in Field Wal (Dolichos Lablab Roxb.) Poona Agr. Mag.49: 95–102. 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Pillai, S. K. Abnormalities in the flower ofDolichos Lablab vulg. Savi. Cur. Sci.24: 164–165. 1955.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Piper, C. V. and W. J. Morse. The Bonavist, Lablab or Hyacinth Bean. U. S. D. A. Bull. No. 318. 1915.

  23. Pollard, D. G. The control of Shafer Grubs (Schizonycha sp. Coleoptera, Melontinae). Sudan B. Ent. Res.47: 347–360. 1950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Quinn, L. R,, G. O. Mott and W. V. A. Bisschoff. Fertilization of Colonial Grass Pastures and Beef Production with Zebu Steers. I.B.E.C. Res. Inst. Bull. No. 24, 1961.

  25. Rangaswami Ayyangar, G. N., and K. Kuhni Krishnan. Studies inDolichos Lablab (Roxb.) L. The Indian Field and Garden Bean. ii. Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci.2(1): 74–79. 1935.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Rivals, F. Le Dolique d’Egypte, Lablab ou Antaque(Doliclios Lablab L.) Rev. Agr. Ile Réunion.53: 153–166. 1953.53: 195–208. 1953.54: 5–18. 1954.61: 81–84. 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Roxburgh, W. Flora Indica3: 305–308. 1832.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Savi, G. Osservacioni sopra i GeneriPhaseolis eDolichos. Memoria Nuovo Gio. Lett,8: 119. 1824.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Schaaffhausen, R. v. The Lablab Bean, Macululu and other varieties. (Portuguese) Chàcaras e Quintais89: 46. 1954.

    Google Scholar 

  30. ——. Lablab, a legume for green manure, forage and human consumption. (Portuguese.) Rev. Criadores295: 63–66, 69. 1954.

    Google Scholar 

  31. ——. Practical and economic solutions for fattening cattle during the dry season on pasture with legumes. (Portuguese) Rev. Criadores379: 62–64. 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  32. ——. Adlay or Job’s Tears, a cereal of potentially greater economic importance. Econ. Bot.6: 216–227. 1952.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Tarr, S. A. J. Experiments in the Sudan Gezira on control of wilt of dolichos bean (Dolichos Lablab) associated with attack by cockshaver grubs (Schizonicha sp.) Ann. Appl. Biol.46(4): 630–638. 1958.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Teixeira, E. F. Labe Labe, a legume with a great future. (Portuguese) Est. Sao Paulo Sec, Agr. 1953.

  35. Vaidyanatha, C. S. and K. V. Giri. General characteristics of field bean(Dolichos Lablab) arginase. Ind. Sci. Assoc. Proc,41: (3, abst.): 37. 1954.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Vavilov, X. I. The origin, variation, immunity, and breeding of cultivated plants. Chron. Bot,13(6): 27, 38. 1949–1950.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Veillet-Bartoszewska, M. Récherches embriologiques sur leDolichos Lablab L. Soc. Bot. France B.103 (5–6): 235–240. 1956.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Granja Guará, Gaixa Postal 12,633, Sãa Paulo, Brazil

    Reimar v. Schaaffhausen

Authors
  1. Reimar v. Schaaffhausen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

v. Schaaffhausen, R. Dolichos lablab or hyacinth bean:. Econ Bot 17, 146–153 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02985365

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02985365

Keywords

Search

Navigation