Agroforestry Services: Windbreak  Fodder: Insect  Industrial Crop: Fiber  Management: Managed Multistem  Regional Crop  Staple Crop: Basic Starch

Sago palm succeeds in wet, lowland tropical climates where it is found at elevations from sea level to 700 metres[297 , 303 ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 36°c, but can tolerate 18 - 40°c[418 ]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about 10°c[418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 3,000 - 4,500mm, but tolerates 2,100 - 5,800mm[418 ]. Plants grow well in full sun, even when small[297 ]. They grow best in clay soils with a high organic-matter content[303 ]. In the wild, the plant grows on mineral rich soils with a pH of 4.5 or more[303 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 8.5[418 ]. Plants can be grown in soils with very high water tables, succeeding even in swamps. They can even tolerate occasional flooding with saline water[418 ]. Sago palm is hapaxanthic[303 ]. Each trunk lives for a number of years without flowering but, once it has flowered and fruited, the leaves senesce and the trunk dies completely. However, one or more suckers develop from the base and take over[303 ]. The vegetative growth phase lasts for at least 8 years before the tree flowers[303 ]. A single palm may yield about 180 - 350 kilos of sago[418 ]. It has been calculated that the labour requirement for each kilo of starch obtained from this plant is far less than for any other starch producing plant[297 ]. There are hermaphroditic and male flowers[303 ]. The palm can be classified as a nearly complete obligatory cross-breeder, with easy vegetative multiplication[303 ]. Spacing: 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m) 20-30 ft. (6-9 m) 30-40 ft. (9-12 m).

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Windbreak  Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.
• Fodder: Insect  Plants grown for useful fodder insects.
• Industrial Crop: Fiber  Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
• Management: Managed Multistem  Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A 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.
• Staple Crop: Basic Starch  The Carbon Farming Solution. Eric Toensmeier.