Adaptation
HOW DO VELVET BEANS ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENTS?
The adaptability of a crop is usually controlled by the climate, soil characteristics, or the farming system being used in a certain region. Bean crops, such as the velvet bean, are important in farming systems because they can provide live and dead vegetative support by protecting the soil from erosion and runoff, build up the nutrients in the soil, and provide a source of high protein for livestock.
Photo provided by Dinesh Valke
The importance of growing a bean plant together with or before another crop is that it can reduce, or possibly eliminate the need for nitrogen fertilizers. Specialized nodules that develop on the roots of legumes form symbiotic relationships with bacteria, which allow the velvet bean to fix nitrogen directly from the atmosphere (see Interactions). Growing these crops together can improve the amount and stability of both crops.
Photo provided by Dinesh Valke
To find out how velvet beans acquire its nutrients, click on Nutrition.