EARLY GROWTH AND NATIVE NODULATION OF LEGUMINOUS SHRUB AND TREE SPECIES IN BRAZIL

The early growth and nodulation potential of 13 species of the followi ng genera: Cajanus, Codariocalyx, Cratylia, Desmanthus, Desmodium, Leu caena and Sesbania, comprising 20 accessions, were evaluated under gre enhouse conditions. The accessions were harvested 6 times at 7-day int ervals starting 21 days after planting. At each han est, the following characters were recorded: plant height (PH), root length (RL), top gr owth dry weight (TGDW), root dry weight (RDW), and nodule number (NN). Significant differences (P<0.01) were revealed among accessions, harv est times and their interaction in all characters. The species, S. exa sperata, S. sesban and S. tetraptera, exhibited abundant nodulation, w ith large, round, multilobed nodules. of the astragaloid type, and sur passed the other species in PH, TGDW and RDW. Desmodium and Codariocal yx produced small desmodioid type nodules, and Cajanus cajan large, ro und nodules S. punicea, S. virgata and L. leucocephala did nor nodulat e in the soil used.