DONATE

Agroforestry uses of nitrogen fixing trees and shrubs known to tolerate acid soils

Agroforestry uses of nitrogen fixing trees known to tolerate acid soils (pH 5.5 or less). The uses are living fence (LF), windbreak (WB), alley cropping (AC), fodder bank (FB), pasture improvement (PI), home garden (HG), shade for perennial crops (SP), fuelwood and timber production (WT), improved fallow (IF), and ornamental (OR). “X” denotes that the species has actually been used for the purpose designated; “P” denotes that the species has potential for such a use.

Species LF WB AC FB PI HG SP WT IF OR
Acacia aneura X X X
Acacia angustissima P P P P P P X
Acacia auriculiformis X X X X
Acacia koa X P X X
Acacia holosericea X P X X
Acacia mangium X X
Acacia mearnsii X X X P
Acacia melanoxylon X X X
Albizia lebbeck X P P X X X X
Albizia saman X X X P X
Alnus acuminata X X X X P X
Alnus glutinosa X X P
Calliandra calothyrsus X X X X X X X X
Casuarina cunninghamiana P X X X
Casuarina junghuhniana P X X X
Casuarina sumatrana X X X
Cedrelinga catenaeformis P P X
Chamaecytisus palmensis X X X X X
Dalbergia nigra X P X
Desmodium gyroides P X X
Desmodium intortum P X X
Desmodium nicaraguense P X X
Desmodium velutinum P X X
Enterolobium cyclocarpum P X X P
Erythrina abyssinica X X X P X
Erythrina berteroana X X P X P X X
Erythrina fusca X X P X P X
Erythrina variegata X X P P P X X
Flemingia macrophylla X P X
Gliricidia sepium X X X X X X X X X
Inga edulis P X X X P P
Leucaena leucocephala X
 L. diversifolia hybrids		 P P P P P P
Mimosa scabrella X X P X X X X
Paraserianthes falcataria P P X X P X
Pithecellobium dulce X X X X
Pterocarpus indicus P X X
Robinia pseudoacacia X P X X X X
Stryphnodendron excelsum P P P

Source: Powell, M.H. and J.C. Weber. 1996. Selecting Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Acid Soils. In: M.H. Powell (ed) Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Acid Soils – A Field Manual. Winrock International, Morrilton (AR), USA. p. 11.