To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Subject: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2001
Can anybody tell me about bush sitao, as cover crop?
Thanks,
Oliver Ruedelfor Eco Project Ltd., Tobago (West Indies).
From: Klaus Prinz
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Subject: Re: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2001
Please contact:
Jon J. Palmer
E-mail Address(es): palmer@mozcom.com
Business Information: Title: Director
Company: Asian Rural Life Development Foundation
Address:
Kinuskusan, Bansalan
Davao del Sur
8005 Philippines
(P.O.Box 80322)
Davao City
8000 Philippines
Web Page: http://www2.mozcom.com/~mbrlc
Regards,
Klaus PrinzMcKean Rehabilitation Center
P.O. Box 53
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2001
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: Kenneth Schlather
Subject: Re: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
Bush sitao is a type of cowpea, generally used as a green vegetable in the Philippines. There are many local varieties and several varieties that have been developed by the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, although those varieties were developed mainly for production of vegetable beans and not for green manure. There are also types of sitao (called pole sitao) that grow as vines and in fact many people have heard about the so-called "yard-long bean", which is another name for pole sitao. Sitao is considered the poor person's meat in some parts of the Philippines because of its relatively high protein content.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) based in Los Banos in the Philippines (UPLB) have carried out a number of trials with bush sitao in rice, both lowland and upland. In those trials some of the more indeterminate varieties (that is those that were less bushy and tended to continue vegetative growth even as they started flowering) they tested did relatively well as intercrops in upland rice, although not as good as hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab) (i'd suggest testing both in your region unless you already know that local preference is for sitao and not hyacinth bean). IRRI and UPLB both have data on biomass production. I think Dennis Garrity, who is now the Director General of the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), was responsible for the research in the upland rice systems and certain Dr. Pandey carried out the research on lowland rice (at IRRI). I am not sure who carried out the trials at UPLB. These trials all took place in the early and mid-80's.
The point about preference is important because it underscores the big benefit of sitao as a cover crop or green manure: it is dual purpose, and is especially important because it produces a high value crop (the GREEN beans) and can still be used as a green manure, unlike the grain legumes. In studies carried out by groups associated with the Rockefeller Foundation's Exploration of Green Manures and Cover Crops (GMCC's) one of the noteworthy findings was that success of cover crops and green manures (as measured by acceptance and use by farmers) was almost always associated with systems where the GMCC had more than one use, especially if it produced a crop that could be sold or eaten.
CIDICCO has carried out some interesting studies on bush sitao in Honduras, although in that country it is not called sitao, but rather alasin. There are varieties in that country that produce green beans in about 40 days, and that are very drought tolerant. Farmers there have worked out some interesting cropping systems in which they include that crop. I think CIDICCO has produced a document on its use and benefits.
Finally, both the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT in Colombia) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have carried out a number of studies on vegetable cowpea. Bob Carskey at IITA might be able to provide you with some information.
Hope this helps.
Ken
(Cornell University)
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: H. David Thurston
Subject: Re: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
Picture of Yardlong bean
Dave
(Dept of Plant Pathology, Cornell University)
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: Donald Kass
Subject: Re: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
Dear Erick,
Thanks for your very valuable information. I always thought they were separate species, cowpea being Vigna unguiculata and yard-long bean being Vigna sesquipedalis. As Erick mentions, the yard long bean is quite common as a snapbean substitute in tropical areas, such as the Amazon of Brazil, where it is known as feijao-de-metro. I have seen it growing in Northern Honduras but it is generally staked so I don't know how good a cover crop it would be. I have even grown Vigna sesquipedalis in a vegetable garden in Ithaca--it will produce edible pods in about three months. If you don't stake it, the pods will probably rot. Still, it could be a good green manure crop since it grows rapidly. IITA was supposedly developing leafier cowpeas that would be better cover and green manure crops--does anyone have any information about how this work is going?
Don Kass
CATIE
Costa Rica
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001
From: Peters, Michael
Subject: RE: bush sitao (bodi bean?)
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Dear Don, Erick and the others
CIAT is collaborating with IITA to test cowpeas for multiple uses (feed, food, green manure etc.) for Latin America, with a specific focus on Central America (Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica). The importance here is that the materials can be used in different ways. We have now identified materials adapted specifically to acid and neutral soils, with some more broadly adapted. In some preliminary analysis the effect on suceeding crops (maize) is quite spectacular. And we also try to define niches for such cowpeas in the cropping system.
We are currently having then with farmer partciption in the field in Honduras and Nicaragua, comparing the IITA material with some material provided by CIDICCO, the latter already used in some areas in Central America.
Best wishes,
Michael
CIAT