Evaluation of Gliricidia sepium, Casuarina junghuhniana and Faidherbia albida tree species for improvement of crop production and fuelwood supply in Muheza districts, Tanzania

Abstract

A study was conducted in Muheza district to evaluate Gliricidia sepium, Casuarina junghuhniana and Faidherbia albida for adaptability, potential to improve crop production and firewood supply. The experimental was complete randomised block design (CRBD) in a factorial arrangement, replicated three times. Two types of management practices were applied coppicing and pollarding. Results show that survival rates were dependent on trees species and management type. Pollarding was superior to coppicing. The survival rates for G. sepium were 100 and 98% for pollarding and coppicing respectively. It was 73 and 58% for E albida, 58 and 50% for C. junghuhniana for pollarding and coppicing. Leaf biomass was dependent on trees species and management practices. G. sepium had leaf biomass of 1.02 and 2.18 t ha(-1) for coppicing and pollarding, and is equivalent to addition of 33.7 kg N, and 72 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) into the soil respectively. Woody biomass for G. sepium was 20.7 t ha(-1) and 11.6 t ha(-1) per year for pollarding and coppicing, respectively. Thus G. sepium appeared more adapted to the area than F albida and C. junghuhniana. Yield levels were not significantly different from the control most probably because of erratic rains received during the time of experimentation.