Leucaena in Latin American farming systems : Challenges for development

摘要: Different species of Leucaena have been used traditionally by indigenous people Mexico and Central America, as part their subsistence activities that take advantages all plant resources available in the natural environment; however, this does not implies an intensive use leucaena farming systems. L. leucocephala is more widely used, but it has limitations such slow growth during establishment, deficient cold tolerance, poor on acid soils susceptibility to defoliating psyllid. These inherent problems added transfer programs, diffusion technical information farmers tradition, are some reasons for farmer adoption a wide scale. With present technology productivity large areas region can be improved either incorporating grazing systems or into crop lands, realize potential must solved. The genus native New World extends from Southern United States through middle South America. Presently, there 22 identified (Bray et al. 1997); however (Lam) de Wit investigated utilized (Casas Caballero 1996), followed diversifolia (Schlecht) Benth (Salazar 1986). For centuries American tropics, source edible pods, forage domestic animals, poles construction, firewood shade permanent plantations. But despite diverse uses leucaena, convinced research results show significant increases animal products, improvement soil nitrogen fixation possibilities using legume alley cropping systems, region. In review we discuss status comment scale; recommendations future developments also presented. Traditional presently recognize long history human communities Usually protected traditional agroforestry (Hughes 1993), example five taxa reported Indian groups Mexico, these lanceolata, confertiflora subsp. adenotheloidea, esculenta paniculata, esculenta, subs. leucecephala glabrata 1996). 1 Centro Internacional Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Apdo 6713, Cali, Colombia. 2 Universidad Yucatan, Merida, Mexico. Paper presented at Workshop: Adaptation, Quality Farming Systems, held Hanoi (Vietnam) 9 14 february, 1998.