Beans with benefits

Background

Smallholder farmers in dryland areas of Uzbekistan typically lack technologies to diversify their production. Hence, they depend on a narrow range of crops (cereals and/or cotton), which fetch low market prices and deplete nitrogen and organic matter in the soil. Farmers have limited access to rotation crops that could generate additional income and reverse the nutrient depletion of soils. In some regions of Uzbekistan, salt accumulation in soils as a consequence of inappropriate irrigation additionally restricts crop diversification options and contributes to low farming productivity and environmental degradation. Farmers find themselves trapped in production systems that are unprofitable and unsustainable; the outcome of this is a downward spiral to poverty. Mungbean is a crop through which dryland smallholder farmers can break the downward spiral and increase profitability and sustainability of their farms. Mungbean is a nutritious warm season legume crop. Grains are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins, and are a popular ingredient in cuisines. Leaves of immature plants can serve as animal feed. Due to its short duration it easily fits into established cropping calendars. Mungbean fixes nitrogen in the soil, requires less water and tolerates more heat than other legumes.

Objectives

The overall goal of this BMZ-funded project is to improve farmer income and increase the sustainability of dryland production systems in South and Central Asia by diversification of local production systems through inclusion of mungbean as a catch crop that can (i) provide additional income to farmers and (ii) improve soil fertility. Within this project, the research team of UHOH aims at developing mungbean production technologies increasing soil fertility and crop productivity in marginal areas under salt stress. Specific objectives are:

• quantifying the overall environmental benefits including its nitrogen fixation and impact on soil fertility,
• investigating the use of combinations of rhizobium and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for increased salt tolerance, and
• assessing the effect of selected mungbean lines on yield and quality of the subsequent crop.