THE group of beans is very large and includes broad bean, kidney bean, soy bean and haricot bean, which are well known for their nutritive value. The Vicia Faba is a leguminous vegetable known as bakla in Urdu and broad beans in English. Its other names are field bean, tick bean, Fabia bean etc. The broad bean has spread from the Near East and is now widely cultivated in temperate regions of the world.

Broad bean is one of the most important winter crops for human consumption in the Middle East. In Asian countries, China tops the world in its area and production. As compared to India, Pakistan’s production is negligible. It is cultivated on a small scale in costal areas of Balochistan, hilly tracts of NWFP and in Punjab, which are the most adaptable areas for its large scale cultivation.

The plant of broad bean is propagated from seed, sown in rows 45-50 cm and plant to plant distance is 20-30 cm. It is an erect annual plant that grows to a height of 0.75 metre. The leaves are large and broad. Flowers are borne in clusters and a plant may produce as many as 100 pods of dark green or brown green colours. The bean for its successful cultivation requires an optimum temperature ranging between 15ºC to 18ºC and can stand temperature as low as 40ºC. Rich loamy soil is better suited for its cultivation. The plant can tolerate acidity. The crop starts from February across the border of this country and matures in 80 to 85 days.

The chemical composition of 100 grams of edible portion of green and dried seeds are as follows:

The legumes being rich in vegetable protein provide nutritional security. As meat is expensive, the poor can only take vegetables and pulses for iron, calcium, protein and vitamins. The green and mature pods of large seeded varieties are a culinary delight in the subcontinent. Broad bean is also a substitute of skim-milk. Roasted seeds are eaten as nuts in the neighbouring country.

It is unfortunate that the broad bean, having so many benefits, has not yet been properly cultivated in the country, which is depriving the poor of a nutritive vegetable. The nine research programmes launched by our official agencies on pulses and vegetable are required to include broad bean also to explore the prospects of its successful cultivation, not only in the costal areas of Balochistan, but also in hilly tracts of NWFP and in Punjab.

Green pods are cooked in more than one way. The crop is also used as a “green manure” to enrich the soil suffering from nitrogen deficiency. It is also fed to livestock because of its nutritive value.

A number of beans, excluding broad bean, is grown in the country on a lager scale. Our scientists should try to obtain adaptable genetic stock of bakla beans from abroad to fit in our diverse climatic conditions.

Medically bakla is diuretic, expectorant and also has tonic effect. It is friendly to cardiac patients and all those who suffer from nervousness. A crop of such a great use, therefore, needs not to be ignored or left unexploited.