Fodder: Bank  Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Other Systems: Parkland  Regional Crop  Staple Crop: Protein-oil

A plant of the arid and sub-arid tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 35c, but can tolerate 15 - 41c[418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 300 - 800mm, but tolerates 200 - 1,700mm[418 ]. Dislikes humid climates[335 ]. Grows best in deep sands, sandy clay loams, sandy loams or clays[303 ]. Plants are intolerant of shade after they pass the seedling stage[303 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 8, tolerating 6.5 - 8.5[418 ]. The plant can become a weed[418 ]. A slow-growing tree, reaching a height of 1 - 3 metres after 3 years; 2 - 5 metres after 8 years[418 ]. Fruiting commences when plants are about 5 - 8 years old, the yield increasing until they are around 25 years old[303 ]. The fruit apparently takes at least 1 year to mature and ripen[303 ]. Desert date coppices and pollards well, and can regenerate after lopping and heavy browsing. The fruit is in high demand as a food, which gives it high economic value; therefore, little fruit and thus few seeds are left for natural regeneration of the species[303 ]. Fruiting and foliage production usually occur at the height of the dry season, though this can vary[303 ]. The tree withstands grass fires[418 ].

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: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
• 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.
• Other Systems: Parkland  Africa - Trees scattered throughout cropland. An Irregular intercropping system.
• 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: Protein-oil  (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.