Soil improver and intercropping species
Vigna mungo has a taproot. It is an N-fixing legume that improves soil fertility and soil physical properties (Parashar, 2006). Its cultivation does not require N fertilization but N fixation is improved by inoculation with local rhizobium strains (Sharma et al., 2011). Vigna mungo is responsive to P (40 kg/ha) and K (30 kg/ha) and only needs rough tillage and one or two weedings (Baligar et al., 2007; Jansen, 2006).
Vigna mungo can be used in intercropping systems with legume species such as groundnut and cajan pea (Cajanus cajan), industrial crops (cotton, sugarcane) and cereals (sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet) as the main crops (Krishna, 2010; Jansen, 2006). It provides supplementary food to the farmers and nitrogen to the other crop. Associations with maize, groundnut or cajan pea can improve productivity of those crops by 42-53% (Krishna, 2010). In the dry season it is often sole cropped on rice fallow, before and after rice planting (Baligar et al., 2007; Jansen, 2006).
Weed control
In Vietnam, intercropping Vigna mungo with rice deprives weeds from residual water and thus provides an effective weed control (including against weedy rice) (Ferrero, 2005).