Sword Bean
Sword bean is a tropical under-utilized food legume. It is rich in proteins and is cultivated as a vegetable, green fodder for livestock, or dried beans are consumed by people. The plant has a wide distribution in the Eastern Ghats of South India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, New Guinea, and northern Australia. In India, it is cultivated as a fodder crop in Northern India and Peninsular India.
Sword bean is an erect, twining herbaceous plant with slender stems. Stems are round in cross-section attaining about 4–10 m long, initially trailing along the ground but becoming more or less erect when they attain their full length; internodes up to 0.3 m long. Leaves are trifoliolate with a short petiole and leaflets oblanceolate, 8 – 25 cm long and 4 – 12 cm broad, apex acuminate. Flowers with the white or pale pink corolla, borne terminally or in axillary spikes 2–4 cm long; bracts leaflike. Fruit is oblong to ellipsoid, smooth pod 20 – 45 cm long and 10 – 20 mm wide, containing 5 -8 seeds. Seeds are flattened ovoids up to 7 cm long and 4 cm broad.
"C. gladiata" is an erect, twining herbaceous plant with slender stems. Stems are round in cross-section attaining about 4–10 m long, initially trailing along the ground but becoming more or less erect when they attain their full length; internodes up to 0.3 m long. Leaves are trifoliolate with a short petiole and leaflets oblanceolate, 8 – 25 cm long and 4 – 12 cm broad, apex acuminate. Flowers with the white or pale pink corolla, borne terminally or in axillary spikes 2–4 cm long; bracts leaflike. Fruit is oblong to ellipsoid, smooth pod 20 – 45 cm long and 10 – 20 mm wide, containing 5 -8 seeds. Seeds are flattened ovoids up to 7 cm long and 4 cm broad. Sword bean was first described as "Canavalia gladiata" by Carl Linnaeus in his 1763 work "Species Plantarum".
Sword bean, a tropical under-utilized food legume is cultivated as a vegetable and fodder crop. It is considered to be rich in proteins and has been found useful in the treatment of hypertension. Given these facts, the present investigation was undertaken to produce transgenic seed from sword bean cv. Vikas through Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation of the desi type. 1800 primary transformants were screened for transgenic events out of which 295 were found to be positive for GUS activity through histochemical staining of leaf sections.
Global sword bean production
The sword bean is a legume that is native to South America. It is also known as the "winged bean" due to the shape of its pods. The beans are green and have a sharp, crisp texture. They are often used in salads and stir-fries.
Global production of the sword bean is estimated to be around 1,000 tonnes per year. The majority of production takes place in Brazil, followed by Peru and Ecuador. India is also a major producer of the bean, with an estimated production of 500 tonnes per year.
The sword bean is a nutritious food source that is high in protein and fiber. It also contains vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus. The beans are a good source of antioxidants and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. The sword bean is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be cooked as a whole bean or used as flour for baking. The beans can also be sprouted and used in salads. The sword bean has a long shelf life and can be stored for up to 12 months if properly dried and stored in an airtight container.
The sword bean is a versatile and nutritious legume that has a range of potential health benefits. It is an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The beans are easy to cook and can be used in a variety of dishes. They have a long shelf life and can be stored for up to 12 months.