Last edited on 3 Feb 2024. View history

Rice Bean

Vigna umbellata
Also known as ricebean (en)

How to sow rice bean: Direct seed outdoors using seed drill or broadcast

Sun requirement for rice bean: Plant in Full Sun

Ricebean is a warm-season annual vine legume grown for it's small edible beans, which are often dried and cooked as dal. It is native to and predominantly grown in Asia. Ricebean is a member of the sub-genus Ceratotropis, which also includes Mung and Adzuki Beans. In addition to being a minor food crop, it is also grown as animal fodder and green manure. The plant has trifoliate leaves and bright yellow flowers. Seed pods are 6-8mm long and cylindrical. Ricebean's ideal temperature range is 18-37°C and it needs 60-150cm of water per season, which is provided by monsoons in it's native habitat. Harvest in the morning when 80% of the pods have turned brown.

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Rice bean facts

Lifespan

Annual living and reproducing in a single year or less

Height

100cm

Row Spacing

30cm

Plant rice beans with

corn corn cowpea millet millet

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi & H. Ohashi

Family / Taxonomy Magnoliopsida
Rosidae
Fabales
Leguminosae
Optimal temperature 18 - 30 °C
Absolute temperature 10 - 40 °C
Optimal rainfall 700 - 1500 mm/year
Absolute rainfall 300 - 2000 mm/year
Optimal soil pH 6.0 - 7.5
Absolute soil pH 5.5 - 8.0
Crop cycle 40 - 130 days
Max altitude 2000 m
Life form herb, vine
Life span annual, perennial
Habit erect, climber/scrambler/scadent
Optimal soil depth medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture medium
Optimal soil fertility high
Optimal soil drainage well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod short day (<12 hours)
Optimal light very bright

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

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