Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Agroforestry Services: Understory legume  Fodder: Pasture  Management: Fodder  Management: Hay  Regional Crop

A plant of the tropics, but also naturalized in the subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 10 - 32°c[418 ]. It is intolerant of frost[413 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 900 - 3,000mm[418 ]. Prefers a sunny position, but can succeed in quite dense shade[418 ]. Plants are shade intolerant[413 ]. Succeeds in most soils, including those that are shallow or poor in nutrients[418 ]. The plant is well adapted to humid areas with high winds[418 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[418 ]. The plant has become naturalized throughout the Tropics and much of the subtropics[317 ]. It has become a pest in forest plantations, cropland, orchards and pasture[413 ]. It is particularly likely to become a noxious weed when growing in dryland field crops, in rainfed wetland rice and in plantation crops[418 ]. Plants can flower all year round[418 ]. Plants are a fire hazard when dry[305 ]. Although they can be perennial, the plants can also complete their life-cycle within 90 days[418 ]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[755 ].

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
• Agroforestry Services: Understory legume  Legume vegetation, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor.
• Fodder: Pasture  Enclosed tracts of farmland mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants).
• Management: Fodder  Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Management: Hay  Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.