**Origin, Domestication, and Cultivation**:
– Lima beans originated in Meso- and South America with two gene pools indicating independent domestication events.
– Domestication occurred around 2000 BC in the Andes, leading to a large-seeded variety.
– Cultivation spread to the Old World in the 1500s.
– Lima beans have wild and domesticated varieties.
– Cultivation practices vary, with baby lima beans grown as a warm-season crop in the U.S. and specific planting and harvesting times.
– Different cultivars exist, with bush types maturing earlier than pole varieties.
– Production yields range from 2,900 to 5,000 kg per hectare.
**Defense Mechanisms and Plant Behavior**:
– Lima beans employ various defense mechanisms against predators, including extrafloral nectar secretion, the Jasmonic acid pathway, and cyanogenesis.
– They adapt to different climates worldwide and use signaling to carnivorous mites as a defense.
– Mechanical wounding and chemical elicitors trigger defense responses in plants.
**Toxicity and Nutrition**:
– Raw lima beans are toxic if not boiled for at least 10 minutes due to antinutrients like phytic acids, saponin, and others.
– Various methods like boiling, roasting, and soaking can reduce antinutrient levels.
– Lima beans are rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate), and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium).
– Germination enhances calcium and phosphorus bioavailability in lima beans.
**Health Benefits and Culinary Uses**:
– Lima beans are a good source of dietary fiber and high-quality protein with both soluble and insoluble fiber.
– Soluble fiber aids in blood sugar regulation and cholesterol reduction, while insoluble fiber prevents constipation.
– The high fiber content helps stabilize blood sugar levels, making them suitable for diabetes management and providing steady energy.
**Research, Environmental Impact, and Conservation**:
– Studies on the evolution, domestication, and benefits of lima beans have been conducted.
– The environmental impact of lima beans includes their role in ecosystem balance and the importance of preserving plant species diversity.
– Conservation efforts aim to sustainably cultivate lima beans and other plant species to maintain biodiversity.
A lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), also commonly known as butter bean, sieva bean, double bean or Madagascar bean, is a legume grown for its edible seeds or beans.
Lima beans | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Phaseolus |
Species: | P. lunatus
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Binomial name | |
Phaseolus lunatus | |
Synonyms | |
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