Forage Tree Legumes in Tropical Agriculture

Tree legumes serve a multitude of purposes in agriculture and forestry, including fodder for animal production, fuel-wood and timber production, soil conservation and fertility improvement. Their role and potential is increasingly recognized for both intensive and extensive agroforestry systems, particularly in humid and semi-arid regions of the tropics. This book provides an introduction to fodder tree legumes for advanced students of agriculture and forestry. It describes the main genera and species concerned, including Leucaena, Sesbania, Calliandra, Acacia and Prosopis. Chapters on the production and management of tree legumes are followed by a number looking at animal production, including topics such as nutritive value and anti-nutritive factors. The book includes a number of case studies of the use of tree legumes in Queensland and South East Asia.