Dolichos lablab L.:: Possibilities for protected cultivation in mild winter climates'

Research was conducted over three seasons (1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99) to determine the productive potential of green pods in first-year plants, studying two different production cycles, using a local accession of the botanic variety albiflorus D.C. of Dolichos lablab L. (Egyptian Bean). In the first experiment (1996/97), cropping was done in pots with peat substrate in a polyethylene greenhouse, the transplanting dates were 17(th) September (Fl) and 21(st) January (F2). In the other two experiments cropping was done in a sandy loam soil in glasshouses; in the second experiment (1997/98) the transplanting dates were 20(th) October (Fl) and 2 (nd) January (F2) while in the third experiment (1998/1999) the transplanting dates were 17(th) September (Fl) and 11(th) January (F2). Plants were placed in rows 1 m apart with 0.5 m between them. Plants were staked and tied. The immature pods were harvested twice a week. The accession used in these experiments adapted well to protected cultivation. The green pod yields obtained (95200 kg ha) are much higher than those reported for beans under identical growing conditions in the field (28000 kg ha(-1)). Transplanting in September allows for high-yield, green pod harvesting year-round, even in autumn and winter. Continued experiments are necessary to determine the performance of this plant in subsequent years.