Further sunn hemp can be grown as a high-protein forage for late summer when pastures may perform poorly. In India cloth, twine and rope are made from the fiber of older plants. In some areas seeds are fed to pigs and horses without adverse effects. Sunn hemp serves as an excellent cover crop in rotation with vegetables. It suppresses weeds and reduces root-knot nematodes, controls erosion and may serve as a windbreak both for vegetables and for tropical fruit crops.
Seeds germinate readily and seedlings rapidly produce a thick ground cover.
Although sunn hemp tolerates poor soil, it productivity is enhanced on more fertile soils. It is well adapted for well-drained calcareous soils and for acidic sandy soils. In order to establish a cover crop, sunn hemp should be sown at 20 to 40 lbs. The lower seeding rates enable the plants to branch profusely. Seed should be planted less than one inch deep.