Growing lablab

This legume cover crop can handle high temperatures, and can be used to improve soil conditions and provide good grazing for ruminants

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Lablab (Dolichos lablab) is an annual legume grown for livestock fodder or as a green manure cover crop. “Lablab is an extremely valuable protein source for human and animal feed,” note Grain SA’s Dr Hendrik Smith et al in ‘Integrated crop and pasture-based livestock production systems’. It improves soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, thanks to the symbiotic relationship between the plant and soil rhizobium bacteria.

Lablab is also well known as a cover crop for rotation with other crops. It is rich in minerals, especially phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A and D.

The crop is drought-tolerant and can grow where the annual rainfall is less than 500mmm. It can also survive in hot conditions, and thrives in a temperature range of between 15°C and 30°C.

Lablab can also sustain growth at very low temperatures, but not for too long, and it can be damaged by frost.

The species particularly proves its worth in autumn, providing valuable feed between summer and winter seasons.

SOIL REQUIREMENTS