Fodder: Bank  Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop  Staple Crop: Balanced carb  Staple Crop: Protein

The plant grows naturally lowland areas of hot, humid, tropical climates with a seasonal dry period[335 ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 25c, but can tolerate 12 - 35c[418 ]. When established, it can tolerate occasional, short-lived, light frosts[377 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 4,000mm, but tolerates 500 - 5,000mm[418 ]. Of easy culture, it grows best in a humus-rich, fertile, moisture-retentive soil in full sun or light shade[307 ]. Very tolerant of shallow, calcareous soils[307 ]. Established plants are very drought tolerant and also tolerate seasonal flooding[307 ]. Plants can escape from cultivation and become weedy in some tropical areas[377 ]. Trees can commence producing fruit in 5 - 6 years from seed[335 ]. Plants flower intermittently throughout the year[307 ] and can produce two or three harvests[335 ].

Carbon Farming

• Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
• Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.
• Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• 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.
• Staple Crop: Balanced carb  (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
• Staple Crop: Protein  (16+ percent protein, 0-15 percent oil). Annuals include beans, chickpeas, lentils, cowpeas, and pigeon peas. Perennials include perennial beans, nuts, leaf protein concentrates, and edible milks.