[9] The small-seeded (Sieva) type is found distributed from Mexico to Argentina, generally below 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above sea level, while the large-seeded wild form (lima type) is found distributed in the north of Peru, from 320 to 2,030 m (1,050 to 6,660 ft) above sea level.

[6] In the U.S., it is a warm-season crop, grown mainly in Delaware and the mid-Atlantic region for processing and in the Midwest and California for dry beans.

It is an oomycete plant pathogen that causes downy mildew of lima bean during cool and humid weather conditions.

To combat this pathogen, developing lima bean cultivars with resistance is a relatively cost-efficient method that is also environmentally safe as compared to using pesticides.

Symptoms include small necrotic tan spots with red to reddish brown irregular margins that come together to eventually cover the entire leaf.

exigua, which is pathogenic on baby lima bean and plays a role in the foliar disease complex.

This may also be advantageous to defend against pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses, as they can easily invade herbivore-infected leaves.

[21] Lima beans use extrafloral nectar (EFN) secretion when exposed to volatiles from other plants infested by herbivore species.

Producing EFN can be an indirect defense since it supplies enemies of herbivores with an alternative food source.

These predatory mites use EFN as an alternative food source, and thus, the production of this by the lima bean can attract P. persimilis and thus deter their herbivore hosts.

[20] One direct chemical defense involves cyanogenesis, which is the release of hydrogen cyanide when the cell senses damage.

It is the mechanical wounding and chemical elicitors from insect oral secretions that first begin the signaling pathway to induce HIPV production.

[23] Here, experimenters noticed an increase in HIPVs when the lima bean plant was preyed on by the two-spotted spider mite.

[26] The lima bean can contain anti-nutrients like phytic acids, saponin, oxalate, tannin, and trypsin inhibitor.

In addition to boiling, methods of roasting, pressure cooking, soaking, and germination can also reduce the antinutrients significantly.

[27] The most abundant mineral in the raw lima bean is potassium, followed by calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and iron.

Soluble fiber absorbs water in the stomach, forming a gel that slows down the absorption of the bean's carbohydrates.

They can, therefore, help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy, which makes them a good choice for people with diabetes suffering from insulin resistance.