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.