Morphological Characteristics, Growth Behavior, and Potential of Yard-Long Bean (Vigna Unguiculata ssp. Sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc.) as a Vegetable for Cultivation in Tropical Urban Areas

This study covers the morphological characteristics, growth behavior, and cultivation of yard-long beans (green and red surface fruits) as vegetable for urban communities. This study shows many similarities in the morphological traits (leaf shape and color, as well as the number of leaflets) and growth behavior (climbing growth, flowering time, fruiting, and harvesting) between the two cultivars. The green-fruited cultivar had smaller leaves and fever leaves, lesser leaf weight, thinner petioles, and lower SPAD value compared to the red-fruited one. In both cultivars, the leaves slightly wilt at midday, but this did not have a negative effect on fruit growth and average fruit size in the long term. The fruits can be harvested 8–10 days after the petals and stamens have fallen. The earliest matured pods also become the longest and heaviest. After harvesting the initial pod, it will flower and bear fruit again on the same bunch. However, in the same bunch and at the same time only 1 or 2 pods will grow to marketable size. The green cultivar produced a larger fruit yield than the red, but their quality was comparable. Both yard-long bean cultivars responded to the solar tracking phenomenon, the upper surface of the leaf being dominantly oriented to the east.