Efforts are being made to popularise
in India a pulse called rice-bean
(Vigna umballata) which has a high
nutritive value. The plant is a native
of South Asia and its cultivation in
India has been confined to the tribal
regions of eastern and north-eastern
parts of the country.
Rice-bean has a protein content
of 14-24 per cent and also contains
vitamins, calcium and iron. Besides
being more resistant to disease than
other pulses, the rice-bean plant can
be used as fodder and a green
manure after its pods are harvested.
The plant has more pods compared to cowpea and black gram and
all the pods mature simultaneously,
making for an easy harvest.
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