Vegetable soybean (Edamame): A potential area of research - A review

Nutritional and economic insecurity lead to chronic diseases and constitute a major challenge for the increasing population on the earth. Introduction of new vegetables and legumes is one of the important efforts to provide nutritional diets such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and essential minerals. Edamame is a type of soybean [Glycine max L. (Merr.)] used as green vegetable that is harvested when seeds are fully developed but still bright green (R6 physiological stage) in contrast to traditionally grown grain soybean harvested at dry-mature (R8 stage) stage. Vegetable soybean is used for direct human consumption in food dishes, such as soups, stews, and boiled or -salted snacks; in consequence, sensorial attributes of vegetable soybean are essential for the marketability of the product and must be considered in a vegetable soybean breeding program. Vegetable soybean mainly differ from grain soybean in respect of their large sized seed with higher level of sugars (3.0%), protein (11.4%), minerals (calcium-70 mg/ 100 g, potassium-140 mg/ 100 g and phosphorus-140 mg/100 g), vitamins (carotene 100 mg/100 g, ascorbic acid-27 mg/100 g and alpha tocopherol-12 μg/seed). Edamame also has more seed, grey pubescence, bright green pod and seed coat color. However, the cultivation of edamame is still not popular in our country particularly due to unawareness, availability of specific varieties for different climatic conditions, issue of seed germination and relatively large crop duration. The present article emphasizes the attention of the scientist for development of suitable edamame varieties, improved cultivation techniques and other scientific interventions in order to reduce the nutritional insecurity.