Observations on the early growth and water relations of Leucaena leucocephala established for alley cropping on a red earth at Katherine, NT

A. L. Chapman and R. L. McCown
Australian Institute of Agricultural Science, Northern Territory Zone,
Observations on the establishment, growth, chemical composition and water relations of the leucaena were made over a 3 year period to determine the feasibility of dryland alley cropping in the semi-arid tropics. It was concluded, from these and other studies, that the erratic rainfall at Katherine makes dryland establishment of leucaena hazardous on both clay loam and sandy soils but that, once established, the plants persist and can survive for up to 8 months without rain.