Index Search Home Table of Contents Lumpkin, T.A., J.C. Konovsky, K.J. Larson, and D.C. McClary. 1993. Potential new specialty crops from Asia: Azuki bean, edamame soybean, and astragalus. p. 45-51. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York. Potential New Specialty Crops from Asia: Azuki Bean, Edamame Soybean, and Astragalus T.A. Lumpkin, J.C. Konovsky, K.J. Larson, and D.C. McClary AZUKI BEAN Botany Production Uses ... REFERENCES AZUKI BEAN Botany Seedlings emergence is hypogeal; seed leaves are cordate, long-petioled, and simple. The plant is a bushy, usually erect and slightly pubescent annual that grows from 27 to 90 cm high. Some azuki cultivars exhibit viney growth and can climb from 1 to 3 m. Stem color is normally green but some cultivars are purplish. Branching occurs between the 4th to 9th main stem nodes (Hoshikawa 1985) and secondary branching does not occur under normal planting densities. Stipules are small, entire or faintly 3-lobed, peltate, lanceolate, acuminate, and have basal appendages. The leaf is pinnately trifoliate with the middle leaflet being broadly ovate and attached to the petiole by a long petiolule; leaflets are 5 to 8 cm wide and 5 to 10 cm long. Some cultivars produce lanceolate-shaped leaflets (Hoshikawa 1985). Azuki has a taproot type of root system that can extend in a sphere 40 to 50 cm from the point of seed germination; secondary branch development occurs later in the season and can reach 40 cm. Root nodules resulting from cowpea group rhizobium infections are spherical, 4 to 10 mm in diameter, and begin developing when primary leaves start to unfold (Hoshikawa 1985). | |
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