Transcription of Tagasaste (tree lucerne)
1 NO. 431/622 Tagasaste is the name given on the island of LaPalma, in the Canary Islands, to the indigenous plantknown botanically as Chamaecytisus palmensis. Thislegume, belonging to the family Fabaceae, has beenvariously called tree lucerne, false tree lucerne andlucerne tree in Australia. For the sake of uniformity, Tagasaste is is a shrub or small tree growing to a heightand crown diameter of about 5 m, often with long, Tagasaste (tree lucerne) Agfact , first edition 1986 Paul Dann, Research AgronomistDivision of Plant Industries, CanberraBarry Trimmer, Livestock Officer (Sheep andWool) Division of Animal Production, Orange(Reviewed May 2003, Brendan George)drooping, leafy branches. Variations occur, includingupright and prostrate types.
2 White flowers appear inprofusion, usually in spring, though under someconditions flowering can commence in winter. Theflowers develop into flattened pods about 5 cm long,containing about 10 seeds. The seeds, which ripen insummer, are a flattened oval shape, about 5 mm longby 3 mm wide by 1 mm thick. There are about 45 000seeds per Tagasaste (tree lucerne) shrub in full flower. Photo: Cunningham, Soil Conservation Service2In its native habitat, Tagasaste has long been used foranimal fodder . In Australia it has been planted aroundhomesteads for windbreak and decorative purposesand shade in fowlyards, and sometimes used forfodder. Tagasaste has received considerable attentionin New Zealand in recent years for fodder and , being an evergreen, can provide green feedat any time of the year.
3 However, experience suggeststhat, because of its relatively slow growth rate andrecovery after cutting during winter, its main rolecould be the provision of high quality fodder duringsummer and early a legume, Tagasaste roots have nodulescontaining nitrogen-fixing rhizobium IN AUSTRALIAT agasaste has been grown in Australia since at least1879, when seeds were sent from the Royal BotanicGardens, Kew, in England, and grown at the AdelaideBotanic Gardens, whose director reported favourablyon it as a drought-resistant fodder plant. In 1896, commented in the Agricultural Gazette of on Tagasaste s value in drought. J. H. Maiden,Government Botanist, also commented in theAgricultural Gazette, in 1899, 1908, and 1915-thelatter issue containing a particularly enthusiastic reviewof AND SOILT agasaste grows well in a range of environments and,once established, handles climates ranging from thoseof the hot western wheat belt to those of the cooltablelands.
4 As a small plant, though, it can be frostsensitive. It is adapted to a range of soils, preferringthe more freely drained ones, but it does not do wellon low lying sites subject to waterlogging. It may beable to cope with at least moderately acid is currently the main use of Tagasaste . Thenutritive value of the foliage depends on the time ofthe year and the proportion of leaf to stem. NewZealand research indicates digestibilities of 82 per centfor plant tips, and 59 per cent for stems up to 8 mmthick. Figures for crude protein content varied from18 per cent to 25 per cent for tips, and 8 per cent forstems. These data suggest that the leaves compare wellwith good pasture forages, whilst the stems areequivalent to the hay normally used for stockmaintenance.
5 There seem to be no reports oftagasaste containing compounds toxic to results from Western Australia and NewTagasaste trees make excellent shelter plants forsensitive crops such as : R. Clarke and J. suggest that edible dry matter yields of I Itonnes per hectare per year can be obtained fromdryland a deep-rooted perennial and therefore tappingsubsoil moisture, Tagasaste is able to produce greenfeed in rainless summers. It thus has obvious potentialfor providing high protein herbage to animals insummer and early autumn when pastures are generallyof low nutritive value. However, there is a need forresearch to evaluate Tagasaste under actual farmconditions in New South foliage could also be processed into highprotein stock pellets; again, research is needed toevaluate this value of trees as shade and shelter for livestock iswell known.
6 Mature Tagasaste trees provide goodshade and, if grown in closely planted hedgerows,form an excellent windbreak. The possibility of usingthe plant as horticulture shelter is being examined inNew Zealand, with promising results; a novelapproach is to grow a circle of Tagasaste plantsaround individual, wind-sensitive young trees such aswalnuts, removing the shelter plants after several trees do not grow in a form suitable formilling but the timber is fairly dense and suitable formanufacturing small ornaments. It can also be usedfor forageTagasaste can begin flowering in its second year, andprovide valuable nectar and honey in early springwhen many bee colonies are hardpressed for colonies are able to increase, many field andhorticultural crops will benefit from improvedpollination, provided bees are not then diverted by Tagasaste is a deep-rooting perennial, it can tapnutrients in the subsoil and transport these to thetopsoil in the form of dropped leaves and twigs.
7 Aswell, being a legume, it will fix nitrogen wheneffectively nodulated. These features indicate thattagasaste would benefit associated crops or pasturesexcept where direct competition is and reclamationThe ease with which Tagasaste can be established andits rapid growth rate make it a potentially valuableplant for revegetating eroded areas. In New Zealand ithas been grown successfully on gold dredge tailingsand in Western Australia it is being tested forreclamation of saline is an attractive evergreen tree with its oftengracefully drooping habit and masses of whiteflowers. It could well be used as a feature tree inlandscape can be established in two ways: directseeding and transplanting. Whichever method is used,give attention to land preparation, seed treatment toaid germination, and inoculation with appropriaterhizobium preparationSoil preparation well in advance of planting isrecommended.
8 For transplanting, deep ripping to 30cm or more along the planting line can be beneficialon lighter soils. It is important that the rip beconsolidated to remove air pockets, either by runninga tractor wheel along it or allowing sufficient time forthe disturbed surface soil to slump. In heavy soilssubject to waterlogging, planting in raised beds canlead to better treatmentThe hard coat of Tagasaste seed results in a very lowgermination of untreated seed. This can be overcomein two Seed can be scarified by contact withan abrasive surface. Subterranean clover seed scarifiershave been successfully used, by treating the seed anumber of water This involves dropping theseed into boiling water then immediately removing thecontainer from the heat source and allowing the seedto soak in the water as it cools.
9 Successfully treatedseed swells and can be sieved off, and the unswollenseed treated again. New Zealand experience indicatesthat the swollen seed can be re-dried for mechanicalplanting, retaining its improved the soil into which Tagasaste is being planted doesnot contain rhizobia capable of nodulating the plantsand forming an effective nitrogen-fixing relationship,inoculation with appropriate rhizobia is necessary. Fordirect seeding, inoculate seed in the conventional way,and lime pellet it if it is to be mixed withsuperphosphate. For transplants, the inoculum can bemade into a suspension and watered on to theseedlings in their containers. Suitable inoculum fortagasaste can be obtained from Root Nodule Pty Ltd,84 Rawson Road, Woy Woy, 2256.
10 Another source ofrhizobia is soil from around the roots of a healthy,mature Tagasaste ornamental planting of Tagasaste as feature treesin a garden. Photo: seedingSuccess with direct seeding has been reported fromWestern Australia. Treated and inoculated seed can bemechanically sown in a number of ways. Methodsinclude through one or two runs of a conventionalcombine drill (using killed wheat or similar seed as acarrier), or by some type of precision seeder. Fertilisercan be applied at the same seedlings can be produced in a number forestry tubes are satisfactory but results have been obtained with paper and other degradable containers such as peatpots have the advantage of permitting the seedling tobe planted without root disturbance.
