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1. Local Name: 4-angled bean, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus D.C. )
2. Introduction:
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4-angled bean is a fruit vegetable type which is very high in fat and protein content and also vitamin A & B. It is origins from Papua New Guinea and South East Asia.
The plant is a coil round type and needs stake/trellis to climb. It is often planted as a short term plant at vegetable garden or at the house fence.
The fruit is about 15 - 20 cm long and has 4 serrated wings. Normally, this vegetable is use as a dish or eaten raw.
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3. Soils:
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4-angled bean can be planted on a wide range of soils, from sandy light until peat soils. Avoid from planting at the waterlogging area. Fertile, loamy and well drained soils at pH5.5-6.0 are most suitable.
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4. Planting:
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A. Field preparation |
Plough and loosen the soils at 20 - 30 cm deep to enable good growth of roots. Prepare the bed at 1.3 m wide, 30 cm in height and 7.5 m long or depend on the area condition. The distance between the beds is 30 cm.
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B. Planting |
4-angled bean is propagated from seeds. Seeds will be taken from the matured fruits which is dark brown in colour. Mix the seeds with fungicide, e.g thiram at the rate of 3 gm for 100 gm of seeds before planting.
The seeds can be planted with a distance of 50 cm between plants dan 1 m between the row or 60 cm x 60 cm. There will be 2 rows of plants in 1 bed. For direct planting, sow 2 seeds in 1 planting hole, about 2.5 cm deep. The seeds will germinate within 14 days. Leave only 1 healthy seedling per planting hole. 7 kg of 4-angled bean seeds needed for an area of 0.4 ha.
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C. Stake preparation |
To obtain a good yield, 4-angled bean needs stake. Support the seedlings using the stake with a measurement of 2.0 m - 2.5 m long. Place the stakes slanting and opposite to each other and tie the top part which join stake to another to get a strong support. Then, place other stick horizontally where the stakes are joined. Ensure that the plants will coil round the stakes. This method is suitable for a small planting area. (Diagram 1)
Another method practiced is trellis system. Poke the 2.5 m long stake with a diameter of 8 - 10 cm in the middle of both end of every bed. Poke another stake of 0.6 m long and with a diameter of 5 - 6 cm at the corner of the bed (Diagram 2). Join the opposite stakes between both end of the bed using a big size wire. Use nylon string to help the seedlings to climb the stake or trellis.
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Diagram 1
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Diagram 2
Sistem Trellis
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5. Maintenance:
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A. Watering |
Water the plants twice a day (morning and afternoon) because the seedlings need plenty of water to grow up.
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B. manuring |
Basal manuring by using organic manure or chicken dung and compost at 7 mt per 0.4 ha or about 22.5 kg per bed with a measurement of 1.3 m x 7.5 m. Mix the fertilizer with the soils a week before planting.
As an addition, use compound fertilizer, NPK, 12:12:17:2 + TE for about 1.5 kg per bed or 15 - 20 gm/plant when it is 3, 5 and 8 weeks old. This will need sufficient amount for about 450 kg fertilizer for 0.4 ha. The fertilizer can be spread around the plant at 10 cm from the base of the plant or spread it in strip, parallel with the row of the plants.
Next manuring can be done after harvesting or when the plant fertility slowing down.
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C. Weeding |
Weeds need to be control at all time to avoid them to compete with the plants to get food nutrient, sunlight and water. Weeding commonly done manually using hoe, weed cutter and hand.
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D. Tie ip Rafia String |
When the seedlings are 2 weeks old, rafia string can be tied up to the wire for helping the seedlings to climb up the stakes/trellis. Tie up the rafia string in opposite position to join the bottom part of the wire with the upper part.
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6. Yield:
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Harvesting can be started at 10 - 12 weeks after planting. Choose the crispy and green fruits with 15 - 20 cm long. Collection can be done once every 2 - 3 days to avoid fruits mature. Matured fruit will fibrous and the taste is not good. Fertile plant can produce 10 fruits/ plant/pluck within 2 days.
Estimated yield is between 4,000 - 5,000 kg/ha. 4-angled can be found at the market at a price of RM1.00/knot.
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