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A smallholder´s experience with leucaena in the Cauca valley, Southwest Colombia

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Tropical Forages Program
Tropical Forages Program

Poster presented at the International Leucaena Conference, 1‒3 November 2018, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

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This poster is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0) 2018-10. Design: JL Urrea. Rainer Schultze-Kraft, Finca La Siberia, Ginebra, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. (rainer.schultzekraft@gmail.com) Elevation 1,000 masl Annualrainfall 1,200mm (bimodal distribution) Soil: cracking-clay. Farm about 15 ha for fattening of bulls grazing on improved pastures: African star and guinea grass (cv. Tobiatã), Brachiaria spp., Arachis pintoi and leucaena (occasionally cut back). Establishment of leucaena, broadcast and/or in rows: Leafy and highly palatable forage Municipality of Ginebra, Valle del Cauca, in the foothills region of the Andes´ central range, at about 3.7° N, 76.2° W. During 10–15 years there were benefits from a number of leucaena´s important features: After the first years, plants became increasingly affected by pests (psyllids, leafcutter ants) and diseases (possibly camptomeris leaf spot). This, probably in combination with the marginal adaptation of leucaena to the prevailing clay soil (with occasional poor drainage), led to considerable weakening of the plantation with stunted regrowth and eventual death of many plants. Becauseofthesetbacksmentioned,theroleofleucaenainthefarmisnow reduced to essentially a shade-providing tree with associated benefits not onlyforpasturevegetationandgrazinglivestock,butalsotobiodiversityin general. Even when looked at from the space, our leucaena silvopastoral system still stands out as the only wooded area in the whole vicinity. The lack of adaptation to the soil becomes also evident by adult trees getting easily uprooted by rainy-season winds. Since about 5 years there is progressive drying off of branches in adult leucaena and eventual death of the entire tree, probably caused by the fungus, Ganoderma lucidum. However, some spontaneous tree regeneration from seeds can be observed. Issues Epilogue Location and establishment Nitrogen fixation Fenceposts and firewood Vigorous regrowth even in the dry season Drought tolerance, even on cracking clay Benefits A smallholder´s experience with leucaena in the Cauca valley, Southwest Colombia ©2018DigitalGlobe GINEBRA VALLE DEL CAUCA Averagetemperature 24°C

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A smallholder´s experience with leucaena in the Cauca valley, Southwest Colombia

  • 1. This poster is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0) 2018-10. Design: JL Urrea. Rainer Schultze-Kraft, Finca La Siberia, Ginebra, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. (rainer.schultzekraft@gmail.com) Elevation 1,000 masl Annualrainfall 1,200mm (bimodal distribution) Soil: cracking-clay. Farm about 15 ha for fattening of bulls grazing on improved pastures: African star and guinea grass (cv. Tobiatã), Brachiaria spp., Arachis pintoi and leucaena (occasionally cut back). Establishment of leucaena, broadcast and/or in rows: Leafy and highly palatable forage Municipality of Ginebra, Valle del Cauca, in the foothills region of the Andes´ central range, at about 3.7° N, 76.2° W. During 10–15 years there were benefits from a number of leucaena´s important features: After the first years, plants became increasingly affected by pests (psyllids, leafcutter ants) and diseases (possibly camptomeris leaf spot). This, probably in combination with the marginal adaptation of leucaena to the prevailing clay soil (with occasional poor drainage), led to considerable weakening of the plantation with stunted regrowth and eventual death of many plants. Becauseofthesetbacksmentioned,theroleofleucaenainthefarmisnow reduced to essentially a shade-providing tree with associated benefits not onlyforpasturevegetationandgrazinglivestock,butalsotobiodiversityin general. Even when looked at from the space, our leucaena silvopastoral system still stands out as the only wooded area in the whole vicinity. The lack of adaptation to the soil becomes also evident by adult trees getting easily uprooted by rainy-season winds. Since about 5 years there is progressive drying off of branches in adult leucaena and eventual death of the entire tree, probably caused by the fungus, Ganoderma lucidum. However, some spontaneous tree regeneration from seeds can be observed. Issues Epilogue Location and establishment Nitrogen fixation Fenceposts and firewood Vigorous regrowth even in the dry season Drought tolerance, even on cracking clay Benefits A smallholder´s experience with leucaena in the Cauca valley, Southwest Colombia ©2018DigitalGlobe GINEBRA VALLE DEL CAUCA Averagetemperature 24°C