Fodder: Bank  Fodder: Pod  Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Standard  Staple Crop: Protein

A plant of the semi-arid tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,400 metres in the tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24 - 32°c, but can tolerate 16 - 36°c[418 ]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -4°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c[418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 300 - 700mm, but tolerates 200 - 1,000mm[418 ]. Requires a sunny position[303 , 418 , 419 ]. Succeeds in well-drained, sandy to loamy soils[418 ]. Tolerant of poor, gravely or sandy soils[774 ]. Plants can tolerate moderate levels of salt in the soil[418 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8.5[418 ]. Plants can withstand droughts of up to 9 months[418 ]. The tree reproduces so easily that it can escape from controlled cultivation and become a weed[418 ]. It forms impenetrable thorny thickets that compete with and exclude native species[305 ]. The tree is fast-growing but short-lived[418 ]. It can reach a height of 2.5 metres within 2 years from seed[419 ]. Young fertilized plants can grow up to 1 metre annually[418 ]. The branches of wild plants are often hollow and inhabited by ants[331 ]. There are conflicting reports on whether or not this tree has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, so it is unclear as to whether this tree fixes atmospheric nitrogen[755 ].

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.
• Fodder: Pod  Fodder plants with pods.
• 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: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• 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.