Agriculture Business Week

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilzeck), popularly known in the Philippines as mungo or mungbean in other countries and mainly used as human food. It is one of the cheapest sources of plant protein which contains protein ranging from 22-27%. It is also a good source of minerals such as calcium and sodium. Dried mungbean seeds are high in vitamins A & B while the sprouted mungbean are rich in vitamins B & C.

Uses

• It is a raw material in th major processes namely: mungbean sprout production; sotanghon manufacturing; hopia processing; dishes like soups, porridge, snacks, bread, noodles and ice cream;
• Mungbean starch is extensively used for starch noodles;
• Mungbean protein is used to fortify cereal flour
• Crop residues are used for fodder
• It is also grown for hay, green manure or cover crop

Climatic Requirement

Mungbean is drought-tolerant and requires a warm climate during its growing period. The temperature and humidity prevailing in the region is suited for optimum yields.

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Legumes are the richest and cheapest common source of protein among all foods of plant origin. Protein found in legumes is a cheap substitute for fish, chicken, pork, and other meats. Aside from being an important food in the human diet, legumes are also good supplementary feed for livestock and poultry.

Legumes-soybean, mungbean, peanut, string bean, winged bean, to name a few – are special kinds of plants. They have the ability to hide bacteria in their roots, which form nodules (numerous rounded masses in the roots). The bacteria present in these nodules catch nitrogen from the air and transform it into usable form and supply it to the soil to be used by the next crop.

“Though nitrogen is abundant in nature – cycling between the atmosphere, soil and living organisms-it is only directly available to plants when converted through biological or industrial processes to certain forms, primarily ammonium and nitrate,” explains Lindsay Watkins, seed bank manager of the Florida-based Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO).

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