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Chapter 11. Legume Production

Craig Frey, Peter J. Dittmar, Dakshina R. Seal, Shouan Zhang, Josh H. Freeman, Johan Desaeger, and Qingren Wang

Botany and Planting

Cluster bean/GuarCyamopsis tetragonolobus

EdamameGylcine max

Fenugreek/MethiTrigonella foenum-gracum

Hyacinth bean/Lablab beanLablab purpureus

Lima beanPhaseolus lunatus

Pigeon peaCajanus cajan

SnapbeanPhaseolus vulgaris, Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

SnowpeaPisum sativum

Southernpea/Yard-long beanVigna unguiculata

Winged beanPsophocarpus tetragonolobus

Table 1. Planting information for legumes.

Cultivars

Table 2. Commercial legume cultivars.

Asian Legumes

The Asian legume group includes fruits (usually known as pods), which are eaten at the immature stage with edible immature seeds (green shell), and some young leaves and stem tips. For instance, the winged bean has edible leaves and roots, though the latter are rarely cultivated commercially in the continental United States. Pole bean, long (or yard long) bean (both dark- and light-green colors), broad bean, and lablab beans are commercially grown in south Florida. All the pole or indeterminate types can be grown on raised beds with or without plastic mulch using drip, overhead, or subsurface irrigation. Fenugreek does not grow well in rocky soils, such as those found in Miami-Dade County. Pigeon peas are a semiperennial shrub in warmer areas. Many pigeon pea and winged bean varieties are short day and only flower during the fall. There are some day-neutral varieties available for both crops. Edamame varieties, especially those from seed companies in the United States, are sensitive to daytime length, so care must be taken to select varieties for one’s growing area. Japanese varieties are classified as “summer” or “fall” types, indicating when they flower. Fertilizer recommendations for pole, long, or broad beans are generally applicable to this group. All of these crops are started from seed, though winged beans require scarification prior to planting. All the indeterminate types need some kind of support, ranging from individual bamboo stakes to trellises. However, some bush-type broad beans (Indian type) do not need trellises. For pest control products, these crops are included in the legume crop chapter.

Table 3. Planting information for Asian legumes.

Table 4. Cultivars for Asian legumes.

The following tables list registered pesticides that should be integrated with other pest management methods. Additional information on integrated management methods can be requested from UF/IFAS Extension horticulture or agriculture Extension agents. A list of local UF/IFAS Extension offices is available at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/.

Table 5. Herbicides approved for managing weeds in beans and peas. Contact: Peter J. Dittmar, UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.

Table 6. Insecticides approved for managing insect pests of beans and peas. Contact: Anna Meszaros, UF/IFAS Extension Palm Beach County.

Table 7. Bean, pea, and other legume fungicides ordered by disease and then FRAC group according to their mode of action. Contact: Shouan Zhang, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center.

Table 8. Nonfumigant nematicides for legume crops in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

Table 9. Fumigant nematicides for legume crops in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

 

Publication #HS727

Date: 8/15/2022

RELATED TOPICS

The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication do not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition.

Use pesticides safely. Read and follow directions on the manufacturer's label.

Management
Commercial

About this Publication

This document is HS727, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date June 1995. Revised annually. Most recent revision May 2022. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Craig Frey, county Extension director and Extension agent II, UF/IFAS Extension Hendry County; Peter J. Dittmar, associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department; Dakshina R. Seal, scientist, pest management, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center; Shouan Zhang, professor, Plant Pathology Department, UF/IFAS Tropical REC; Josh H. Freeman, associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy; Johan Desaeger, assistant professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast REC; and Qingren Wang, Extension agent III, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

  • Peter Dittmar