Swordbean (Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.) Genetic Resources Regenerated for Potential Medical, Nutraceutical and Agricultural Traits

Swordbean, Canavalia ensiformis has been used in Asia and Japan as a vegetable while in the United States sword bean is used as a source of the lectin concanavalin A. The USDA, ARS, PGRCU maintains 27 swordbean accessions. Swordbean accessions were transplanted from approximately 45-day-old seedlings to the field in Griffin, GA around 01 June from 1998 to 2003 (except 2001). After 3–4 months, 21 accessions were characterized for morphological traits and evaluated for regeneration. High quality plants regenerated from all accessions produced 19 to more than 1100 total seeds. Swordbean can be successfully grown and regenerated in Griffin, GA. Swordbean has potential to be used in numerous other ways including nutraceuticals, phytopharmaceuticals, and other agricultural products. Flavonoids such as rutin identified in swordbean seeds may decrease precancerous lesions in the large intestine while the phytochemical, beta-aminopropionitrile inhibits breast adenocarcinoma growth. Canatoxin, the potential pesticide from swordbean seeds showed toxicity to the cotton pest, Dysdercus peruvianus.