Leucaena leucocephala, (Lamk.) De Wit. |
(Syn. L. Glauca.) |
Family: Leguminosae-Mimosoideae |
Common Name : Subabul |
Telugu Name : Nagari |
|
General :
It is a native of Central America . It is recommended for plantation in a variety of soils although its best growth is obtained on deep and fertile soils. It tolerates slight alkaline (pH upto 8.o) and saline soils. It is a good coppicer. It is drought resistant but cannot tolerate prolonged drought.
Flowering :
May to July and November to February. |
|
Fruiting : |
It seeds twice a year. July to November and February. |
Morphology of the Fruit/Seed : |
Pods in bunches; flat, 8 t cms long, brittle, reddish brown when ripe. Seeds 15 to 30 in each pod, flat, compressed, brown shining with hard seed coat. |
Seed Collection and Storage : |
Ripe pods are collected before they dehisce and dried in the sun for 3 to 4 days when they dehisce to release the seeds. Seeds may be treated with a good dose of pesticide. Viability for 3 to 4 yrs. |
Seed Biology : |
No.of seeds per kg. |
Purity percent |
Moisture percentage |
Germination percentage |
Time for gemination in days |
30,000 |
100 |
6 |
70 to 80 |
7 |
|
|
Pretreatment:
Either soaking the seeds in hot water (80 oc) for 2 - 3 minutes; or soaking the seeds in cold water for 2 to 3 days; or keeping the seeds in conc. H 2SO 4 acid for 15 minutes.
Nursery Technique :
Pretreated seeds are sown in primary beds in February-March and then transplanted into polypots.Rhizobium inoculum (soil from older plantation ) is introduced by mixing 250 gms of Rhizobium culture per 20 kgs. of seed.
|