Popularly known worldwide as mung bean, or simply mongo, is a legume cultivated for its edible seeds and sprouts across Asia. It is the cheapest source of vegetable protein with protein content of 20-25 percent, rich in vitamins, calcium and sodium, which are usually deficient in most bean diets. It is an excellent crop for green manuring, because it matures early, grows fast and produces abundant vegetative tops.

Mongo (Mung Bean) Production Guide

Vigna radiata, popularly known worldwide as mung bean, or simply mongo, is a legume cultivated for its edible seeds and sprouts across Asia. It is the cheapest source of vegetable protein with protein content of 20-25 percent, rich in vitamins, calcium and sodium, which are usually deficient in most bean diets. It is an excellent crop for green manuring, because it matures early, grows fast and produces abundant vegetative tops.

MUNG BEAN

The appearance of mung bean plants is more like garden beans, and they can grow up to 24 to 30 inches (60–75 cm) tall; they also have smaller leaves, and a moderate number of branches. Pods are three to four inches long, with 10 to 15 seeds each, and there are 30 to 40 pods in every plant.

UTILIZATION

Mung beans are mainly utilized for human food: infant supplements, snacks, desserts and viands. It is a basic ingredient in popular food items like hopia, butse-butse, sotanghon and halo-halo. It is cooked with meat or shrimps or served as vegetable dish. It is the basic material in the preparation of piyaya, an ilonggo delicacy. Its sprouts in meal dishes are very popular not only in the Philippines but also in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. It is also a relovent, carminative and antipoisoning agent.

FARM PRACTICES

Mongo is a Nitrogen-rich crop used in inter-cropping rotation and relay cropping. Farmers plant mongo during the second cropping season due to its low moisture content. It is fairly drought-tolerant crop with a short maturity period. It is also used as a substitute for soybean meal in poultry feed formulation.
Mongo is planted by row-grill method, or broadcast method. Harvesting starts within 65-72 days after planting when pods turn brown or black and leaves turn yellow. It is done by handpicking the pods which are then sundried, threshed and packed in sacks.

CLIMATIC REQUIREMENT

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