Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland
Description
Drought tolerant legume shrubs can enhance the sustainability of smallholder production systems in the tropics through the provision, year-round, of high-quality feed and through their positive effect on soil. Desmodium velutinum (Willd.) DC. is one of the few shrub species that have been identified as (1) well adapted to acid tropical soils and (2) of good nutritive value (Schultze-Kraft, 1996). It is a perennial native to SE Asia and tropical Africa growing up to 3 m high, the velutinous (velvety) surfaces of its 1-foliolate leaves being a characteristic feature. It grows well on soils ranging from pH 4.0 to alkaline, prefers high rainfall (1000 to > 3000 mm/year) but tolerates up to five dry months. Though previous work in West Africa (e.g., Mzamane & Agishi, 1986) and South America (e.g., Thomas & Schultze-Kraft, 1990) has indicated the potential of the species, there are only few studies and these are restricted to only one or a few accessions. It is important to assess the genetic diversity and agronomic variability in the germplasm collection of about 140 accessions that is now available in order to identify a core collection and accessions with promising agronomic performance and nutritive value. Possible relationships between accession origins, morphological-agronomic characteristics, and genetic diversity need to be assessed. The first-year results from a field experiment on forage yield and quality are presented here. The project is financially supported by the Volkswagen Stiftung, Hannover, Germany.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Desmodium velutinum: A High-Quality Shrub Legume for Acid Soils in the Tropics
Drought tolerant legume shrubs can enhance the sustainability of smallholder production systems in the tropics through the provision, year-round, of high-quality feed and through their positive effect on soil. Desmodium velutinum (Willd.) DC. is one of the few shrub species that have been identified as (1) well adapted to acid tropical soils and (2) of good nutritive value (Schultze-Kraft, 1996). It is a perennial native to SE Asia and tropical Africa growing up to 3 m high, the velutinous (velvety) surfaces of its 1-foliolate leaves being a characteristic feature. It grows well on soils ranging from pH 4.0 to alkaline, prefers high rainfall (1000 to > 3000 mm/year) but tolerates up to five dry months. Though previous work in West Africa (e.g., Mzamane & Agishi, 1986) and South America (e.g., Thomas & Schultze-Kraft, 1990) has indicated the potential of the species, there are only few studies and these are restricted to only one or a few accessions. It is important to assess the genetic diversity and agronomic variability in the germplasm collection of about 140 accessions that is now available in order to identify a core collection and accessions with promising agronomic performance and nutritive value. Possible relationships between accession origins, morphological-agronomic characteristics, and genetic diversity need to be assessed. The first-year results from a field experiment on forage yield and quality are presented here. The project is financially supported by the Volkswagen Stiftung, Hannover, Germany.
