Erythrina brucei: Propagation attributes, leaf nutrient concentration and impact on barley grain yield |
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| Authors: | Legesse Negash |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;(2) PO Box 32239, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
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| Abstract: | Erythrina brucei Schweinf. emend. Gillett (Papilionaceae),a tree species that is endemic to Ethiopia, is known to possess useful agroforestry attributes, but these attributes have not been quantified. To achieve this, propagation of the species, growth rate of young trees and their impact on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and leaf-nutrient concentrations were examined. Germination of seeds planted in plastic pots varied from 73 to 93%, and direct seeding in the field yielded 83%germination. Branch cuttings obtained from 2 to 3-year-old stock plants (n =150) resulted in 70 to 80% rooting within 8 to 12 weeks after setting cuttings into the rooting medium. Considerable nodulation occurred on leaves one year after planting out seedlings and stecklings. Leaf concentrations of Mg, N,P, and S were significantly lower in nodulated than in the non-nodulated leaves. On the other hand, leaf Fe concentration was higher in nodulated than in the non-nodulated leaves. There was no significant difference in Ca and K contentsbetween the nodulated and non-nodulated leaves. E. brucei-treatment significantly increased tiller and seed numbers, as well as seed weight. However, thousand-grain weight and grain size were similar in harvests from E. brucei-treated and the control plots. The results indicate that the species is easy to propagate by seed and vegetative means, grows fast, is desirable for intercropping, and has relatively high leaf-nutrient concentration.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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| Keywords: | Drought-deciduous tree Ethiopia Germination Leaf nodules Rooting Traditional agroforestry systems |
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