Dear Citizens of Mother Earth,
My name is Subabul / Leuceana Leucocephala, I have witnessed the evolution process of the Mother Earth may be far before than the birth of Human species. I respect nature and law of the nature. Whatever work assigned to me by nature I was and am doing that with purity, honesty, unselfishness and love. I do not know how to measure my contribution to nature or anybody’s contribution to the nature? From my birth I have learnt from the nature that whatever we get from nature we have to manage and live happily with that. And whatever we have, we should give to the nature and offer our services to the nature. However, it is seen that from the evolution of species on the earth to present era, trees are performing unaccountable role for human as well as natural balance. Only 400 years ago I came to know the word ‘USE’ of me from the species humans and from that point my story starts, ‘A journey to most like to most unlike tree’.
Humans says that I am originally from Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico where its fodder value was recognized over 400 years ago by the Spanish conquistadores who carried leucaena feed and seed on their galleons to the Philippines to feed their stock. From there it has spread to most countries of the tropical world where leucaena was used as a shade plant for plantation crops. It was introduced into Australia in the late 19th century and it was naturalized in parts of northern Australia by 1920.
Just three decades ago, my recognition is like most liked tree on farm and they called me ‘Miracle tree’ but now I feel very sad about my recognition of ‘MOST UNLIKE TREE ON FARM’, I become underutilized. There are millions of tree species which are useful one or another way to human kind as a medicine, shelter, food, wood etc. and considered as birth to cradle of man. In such a diverse species, one tree species which is known for its diversified uses, yes I am talking about myself on ‘My name is Leucaena leucocephala, excuse me please, a tree, commonly known as Subabul in India.
I came in to existence about 1890 a little-known legume tree (Leucaena leucocephala) arrived unannounced in northern Australia. By the 1920’s this leucaena, now referred to as ‘common’ leucaena (Leucocephala ssp. leucocephala) had colonised pockets of ungrazed, non-agricultural land along urban and coastal locations in northern Australia, Mexico, Brazil. At that time no one was to realize that over 100 years later selected L. leucocephala ssp. glabrata cultivars would be established for pasture in more than 10 million hectare area under worldwide. More than 800 varieties of this species are known and broadly classified into four types viz, Haiwaiian type, Salvador type, Peru type and Cunningham type. As in India, I was introduced by BAIF foundation in seventies mainly as an agroforestry crop to meet the increasing demand for fuel, fodder and timber for poles and posts from Mexico. Late prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, changed Leucaena name from “Kubabul” to “Subabul” due its wide adaptability and multipurpose uses to farmers.
I the Subabul is known for its fast growing rate and can be grown in variety of soils and climatic conditions due to my tolerance to high temperature and extended drought and remarkable regenerative capacity. Subabul wood is used for light construction, poles, props, pulp, furniture, flooring and fuel wood. Subabul wood is an excellent fuel wood with a specific gravity of 0.45-0.55 and a high heating value of 4500 kcal/kg. Subabul forage has a high protein and carotene content and pellets or cubes are internationally marketed as animal feed. Scientist of Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi reported that the nutritious fodder quality increases milk yield by 20 per cent. Subabul can store 500 (kg/year/ha) of nitrogen in soil and improves nutrient status.
As a woody-stemmed tree, I (leucaena) acts as a carbon sink by sequestering significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere in its woody frame and in additional soil organic matter. Similarly, methane emissions from cattle grazing leucaena are substantially lower than for tropical grasses, probably due to the high digestibility and condensed tannin content of leucaena forage. Subabul yields 30 to 40 t/acre in three years after planting. The same plants rejuvenate and are ready for harvest after every three years. The price paid to the farmer is Rs. 1,350 per tonne while the factory price is around Rs 2,000 from paper industries in India.
Hence, the multiple utility of species makes them suitable to farmers for planting on their own field without much difficulty and extensive research brought many varieties to fulfill farmer’s requirement. K 8 and K 636 variety of subabul adapted extremely well to semi-arid conditions and soon became one of the most popular species for all types of forestry programmes in India. Due to its wide variety of uses and it was this multiplicity of roles that led to the worldwide reputation of the subabul as a 'miracle tree'.
Its WIN Win situation now, there is very strong proverb ‘If you are looking for big opportunity find out big problem’. I found the humans who always blaming rather understanding the inbuilt systems of my growth. If you follow the nature’s inbuilt law of my systems, I can assure that I will regain my status as ‘Wonder Tree” or “Miracle Tree”. Now it’s an opportunity for all humans to promote me in the benefit of nature in the benefit of the humans. I will end my letter with very strong statement, ‘what we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror of reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another’
VOTE ME TO REGAIN MY STATUS AS MIRACLE TREE- I want to serve for you – give me an opportunity to serve for the nature and in the benefit of nature and humanity,
THANKS FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT AND COOPERATION
Always yours
Winning regards
Leuceana Lecucocephala
Honest Citizen of Mother Earth
( for the nature by the nature)
Author: Sangram Chavan1 & Harshvardhan Deshmukh2
1Scientist (Forestry/Agroforestry)
ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management
Malegaon, Baramati 413 115, Pune Maharashtra, India
(Mob:+91-9889038887
Sangram.Bhanudas@icar.gov.in
sangramc8@gmail.com)
2Assistant Professor, College of Forestry, Akola (hkdeshmukh1@rediffmail.com)
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