GROWTH OF FORAGE TREE LEGUMES AT 4 AGROCLIMATIC SITES IN INDONESIA

The growth of the tree legumes Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia sepiu m, Sesbania sesban, Sesbania grandiflora, Albizia falcataria and Calli andra calothyrsus was evaluated at four sites in Indonesia between 198 4 and 1986. Tree seedlings were planted at 10000 trees/ha and, after a n establishment period of 9-12 months, harvested every 3 months for a 2-year period. At Bambu Apus, West Java (2040 mm annual rainfall, 1 mo nth dry period, lowland, latosol with pH 5.6 decreasing with depth), G . sepium and C. calothyrsus produced 13 and 10 t/ha per year of leaf d ry matter, respectively. Other species did not grow well at this site and fewer than 60% of the trees of these species survived until the en d of the experimental period. At Sei Putih, North Sumatra (1550 mm ann ual rainfall, 3 months dry period, lowland, podzolic with pH 5.5 incre asing with depth), no species produced > 6 t/ha per year of leaf dry m atter. The highest yielding species were L. leucocephala and A. falcat aria. At Cisarua, West Java (3340 mm annual rainfall, no dry periods, 925 m altitude, latosol with pH 5.6 increasing with depth) only C. cal othyrsus grew well and produced 9 t/ha per year of leaf dry matter. At Grati, East Java (1500 mm annual rainfall, 6 months dry period, lowla nd, alluvial with pH 6.6 increasing with depth) L. leucocephala produc ed > 8 t/ha per year of leaf dry matter, while none of the C. calothyr sus and A. falcataria trees survived the first dry season. Although L. leucocephala has been the most widely grown tree legume species in th e tropics, C. calothyrsus and G. sepium performed better at the wetter sites and at high altitude.