STUDIES ON THE ADAPTABILITY OF WINGED BEANS FOR THE CULTIVATION IN COLD REGIONS

Adaptability for production of young pods of winged bean in the cold r egion at high latitude (39-degrees 42 'N) was examined using four phot o-insensitive cultivars, selected at Kyushu University. Among the four cultivars examined in 1988, 'KUS-8' and 'KUS-12' were considered as s uitable cultivars for young pod production in Iwate Prefecture. An ide al sowing time is considered to be mid or late May. The two cultivars were sown on two different days and grown in open field, in 1991. The first raceme budding node was lower in 'KUS-12' than in 'KUS-8'. The p ercentage of pod set was considerably different, being in the range of 0.9 to 27.1%, influenced by the number of days for appearance of race me budding and cultivars. The period of harvest of young pods was 52 t o 63 days. The highest total yield of young pods per 10 a (1,000 m2) w as 1, 903. 5 kg for 'KUS-8' and 1, 622.8 kg for 'KUS-12' for the plots sown on 21 st May. Cultivation of young pods of winged bean in open f ield conditions can be economically possible in cold regions with 'KUS -8' and 'KUS-12'.