Vigna Aconitifolia
Vigna aconitifolia is a drought-resistant legume, commonly grown in arid and semi-arid regions of India. It is commonly called mat bean, moth bean, matki, Turkish gram or dew bean. The pods, sprouts and protein-rich seeds of this crop are commonly consumed in India. Moth bean can be grown on many soil types, and can also act as a pasture legume.
Moth bean is a creeping annual herbaceous plant which grows to approximately 40 cm high. Yellow flowers on its hairy and densely packed branches develop into yellow-brown pods, 2 to 3 inches in length. The seeds of these pods contain approximately 22–24% protein.
Due to its drought-resistant qualities, its ability to combat soil erosion and its high protein content, moth bean has been identified as possibly a more significant food source in the future. It has been suggested that its suitability as a grain legume in semi-arid Africa should be further investigated.
Belonging to the family Fabaceae (subfamily Papilionaceae), the moth bean is an herbaceous creeping annual that creates a low-lying soil cover when fully grown. Its stem can grow up to 40 cm in height, with its hairy and dense-packed branches reaching a span of up to 150 cm. Yellow flowers develop into a brown pod 2.5 to 5 cm in length, which holds 4 to 9 seeds inside. The rectangular seeds exist in a variety of colours including yellow-brown, whitish-green, and mottled with black.