Sesbania vs Mung Bean – Choosing the Right Legume

Overview

Sesbania and mung bean (Vigna radiata) serve different roles in Asian farming systems. Sesbania is grown solely for green manuring and gum production, while mung bean is primarily a food crop with secondary soil improvement benefits. However, both are commonly grown in rice-based rotations.

Details

As a green manure, sesbania is clearly superior — producing 3-5 times more biomass and fixing 2-3 times more nitrogen than mung bean per hectare. But mung bean provides valuable food protein and generates cash income from grain sales, making it the preferred choice for food-insecure smallholder farmers.

Why Choose Us

In many rice systems, farmers grow mung bean for grain between rice crops and use sesbania only when soil fertility has declined to levels requiring intensive rehabilitation. We supply both crops and can advise on the optimal mix for your farming objectives.