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Pasture and Forage Crops

A wide variety of plants can be used as pasture and forage crops in the tropics.  Of these, a few are particularly important due to their wide adaptability, ease of growth, high yield potential, and high nutritional value. Most of these are either grasses or legumes. The majority of the grasses herein are highly suitable for permanent pastures, although a few are usually cut and carried to the animals. Unfortunately, there are few legume and grass combinations that are compatible in pastures of the tropics; however, we do have several legumes suitable for mixed pastures and are eager to hear how they grow in various areas. An ECHO Technical Note on Forages is available.

  1. Desmanthus Desmanthus virgatus

    Desmanthus is aperennial, nitrogen-fixing tropical shrub that can be used as a green manure/cover crop and as fodder for livestock. This shrub is adaptable to a range of environments and is tolerant of drought.

  2. Foxtail Millet Setaria italica

    Foxtail millet is an annual grass crop, up to 1.5 m in height, and one of the most water efficient (250-300 mm per crop), short term (60-70 days), warm weather crops which can be used as a “catch” crop, planted after another crop has failed. The grain can be cooked whole or ground into flour....

  3. American Joint Vetch Aeschynomene americana

    Aeschynomene americana is an annual legume forage crop and green manure cover crop. Considered a “subshrub,” A. americana can reach heights of 1-2 m. Pinnately compound leaves are finely textured, with 25-60 leaflets per leaf. Borne on pubescent stems, leaves reach 7.5 cm in length. Flowers...

  4. Maize Zea mays

    Maize is an annualwarm-climate crop in the grass family, thriving in open sunny environments with daytime temperatures of 20-24C. Maize is used fresh, frozen, canned, rolled and roasted for corn flakes, pressed for oil, or processed for ethanol as fuel. Maize is also an important feed source for...

  5. Cereal Rye Secale cereale

    Secale cereale is an upright, annual, cool season, grain-bearing grass. A tufted grass with hollow stems, S. cereale reaches heights of 2 m. The blue-green leaves are borne on tillers, supported by extensive root systems that extend up to 2 m in the soil. Spike flowers give way to heads of pale...

  6. Evenia Aeschynomene evenia (Aeschynomene indica L.?)

    Aeschynomene evenia is a short-lived perennial. Evenia fares well in areas that have an abundance of rain as it tolerates waterlogging and maintains its nutritive content when other grasses are declining. Seeded in very early spring in tropical pasture land, it will be well established in 2-3...

  7. Caribbean Stylo Stylosanthes hamata

    Caribbean stylo is a tropical, nitrogen-fixing, short-lived perennial, semi-erect or prostrate herbaceous plantthat can withstand grazing and is tolerant of poor soils. It is usually grown in native or established permanent pastures and provides nutritious forage for livestock.

  8. Turnip Brassica rapa var. rapifera

    Turnips are a cruciferous crop (cabbage family) grown for the edible fleshy taproot. The leaves are also a good nutritious green leafy vegetable. There are also varieties that have been developed as a forage crop.

  9. Guazuma Guazuma ulmifolia

    Guazuma is a small to medium-sized tree that grows up to 30 m tall. Its leaves form a compact, rounded canopy, remaining green throughout the year except in areas with a long dry season. It is used as a source of fuelwood, shade, and fodder for livestock.

  10. Beach Bean Canavalia rosea (formerly maritima)

    Canavalia rosea is a leguminous, drought, and salt tolerant vine adapted to growing under very dry and hot conditions. Vines are widely distributed on beaches and dunes in the tropics and subtropics, as well as in western and northern Australia. They can reach lengths of 6 m, with a compact...

  11. Centurion Centrosema pascuorum

    Centurion is a fast-growing, annual, prostrate, nitrogen-fixing, drought-resistant, nutritious forage species for the seasonally dry tropics. It is an excellent legume for mixed pastures and is also planted as a hay crop.

  12. Grain Sorghum Sorghum bicolor

    Sorghum is an annual plant in the grass family that grows up to 5 m in height. Grain sorghum is a staple crop in many hotdry areas and ranks 5th worldwide among cereal grains. Depending on the variety, sorghum is grown for grain, forage, fuel, fiber, syrup, and sugar. Cleaned grain can be cooked...

  13. Glycine Neonotonia wightii

    Glycine is a perennial, vining, nitrogen-fixing, green manure or cover crop that may be grown to suppress weed growth, improve the soil nitrogen supply, and slow soil erosion. It is also a forage crop that can be grown in pure stands for hay or in a mixed pasture system.

  14. Shrubby Stylo Stylosanthes scabra

    Shrubby Stylo is of South American origin having spread through Brazil into most tropical countries. It is a summer-growing pasture legume that is extremely tolerant to drought, poor soil, and heavy grazing due to its long taproot. It establishes easily though may not attain much growth until the...

  15. Finger Millet Eleusine coracana

    Finger millet is a short, annual grass to 1 m in height, grown for its small grains that are usually ground into flour for porridge. More drought tolerant than maize or sorghum, finger millet is also higher in protein, fat and minerals than those crops.

  16. Naked Oat Avena nuda

    Naked oats are an annual grass crop for cool weather with moist, well drained soil. In the tropics they do best in highland areas as a cover crop or forage. The grain is edible when cooked.

  17. Proso Millet Panicum miliaceum

    Proso millet is an erect, tillering, annual grass, growing to 1 m in height, that is grown for the small seeds used for human consumption and livestock food. Proso millet was one of the earliest cultivated grains in the world. It is fairly drought tolerant and has a short growing season.

  18. Alfalfa Medicago sativa

    Alfalfa is a low-growing, nitrogen-fixing perennial, with a strong taproot. Many varieties of alfalfa have been developed for excellent hay and forage. It has long been one of the most important forage species for livestock production.

  19. Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum

    Crimson clover is a temperate, annual, nitrogen-fixing plant that can grow to 1 m in height. This clover is grown for seed, hay, silage, pasture for most livestock, and soil improvement. It is widely grown as a winter crop to be tilled under in the spring.

  20. Roundleaf Cassia Chamaecrista rotundifolia

    Roundleaf cassia is a short-lived perennial, nitrogen-fixing shrub, growing up to 1 m tall. It is adapted to sandy soils and semi-arid environments. It provides good quality forage for livestock and is used as a legume in mixed grass/legume pasture systems.

  21. Pearl Millet Pennisetum glaucum

    Pearl millet is an annual, tillering grass, growing to 4 m in height, and more drought tolerant than maize. The seed head is compact, cylindrical and up to 30 cm long. The grains are ground into flour for preparation of porridge, flat breads and fermented products. Pearl millet is widely grown...

  22. Leucaena Leucaena diversifolia, L. leucocephala, L. pallida X L. leucocephala

    The genus Leucaena includes several multipurpose tree species and interspecific hybrids that can withstand almost any type or frequency of pruning or coppicing. They are native to Mexico and Central America, and now abundant in the Philippines, West Africa, Nepal, Australia and Hawaii. Spanish...

  23. Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum

    Buckwheat is a temperate, or high altitude tropical, annual, upright plant growing to 1 m in height. It is grown for the seeds which are used for human consumption and livestock feed. Buckwheat is also useful as a green manure or cover crop.

  24. White Clover Trifolium repens

    White clover is a low, spreading nitrogen-fixing perennial that provides nutritious forage and is usually grown in grass/legume pasture systems. It can also be used as a green manure or cover crop.

  25. Grass Pea Lathyrus sativus

    Grass pea is an annual, vining or climbing, drought-tolerantnitrogen-fixing plantup to 1 m in height. It is adapted to cooler temperaturesand higher altitudes in the tropics.Grass peas are an excellent leguminous crop for dry and poor soils. They are very drought tolerant, growing when other...

  26. Tree Lucerne Chamaecytisus proliferus

    Tree lucerne is a fast-growing, nitrogen fixing, shrub or small tree. It produces high yields of palatable, nutritious fodder as well as shade for livestock. It can also be used for fuelwood, bee forage, and erosion control.

  27. Forage Peanut Arachis pintoi

    Forage Peanut is a prostate, nitrogen-fixing, perennial plant, used mostly as a cover crop for erosion, weed, and fire control. It is favored for these purposes in tree plantations, as it will tolerate some shade. It also makes for good cattle and poultry grazing if a 30-day rest period is...

  28. Hairy Indigo Indigofera hirsuta

    Hairy indigo is a reseeding annual, nitrogen-fixing, erect, bushy plant, up to 2.5 m in height. It is used as a forage, summer fallow, green manure, or cover crop.

  29. Red Clover Trifolium pratense

    Red Clover is a temperate legume native to moist meadows, cool, open forests and field borders of central Europe, India and south of the Russia Arctic. It is now widely cultivated around the world.

  30. White Hoarypea Tephrosia candida

    This 2-3 m (7-10 ft) high member of the pea family, White Hoarypea, was first grown in the tropical foothills of the Himalayan mountains of India. Since then it has been introduced into Southeast Asia, the West Indies, South America and some African countries. It is a nitrogen-fixing, perennial...

  31. Cowpea Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata

    Vigna unguiculata is a grain legume that originates in Africa. Attributes such as vine shape (climbing, prostrate, or semi-erect), seed color (shades of white, pink, brown, and black), and seed maturation time (60 to 240 days) vary with variety. Pods appear in V-shaped pairs.It is an important...

  32. Velvet Bean Mucuna pruriens

    Velvet bean is a vigorous, nitrogen-fixing, bushy or vining, annual plant. The vines will climb anything available and can reach 10 m or more in length. Velvet bean is somewhat drought tolerant and is an excellent green manure or cover crop with ability to suppress weeds and provide generous...

  33. Common Stylo Stylosanthes guianensis

    Stylosanthes guianensis is an upright, short-lived perennial legume. At maturity, the crop is a deeply taprooted and multi-stemmed sub-shrub. Leaves are trifoliate, and yellow-to-orange flowers are borne on spikes. Flowers give way to one-seeded pods, 2-3 cm long, containing small brown-to-purple...

  34. Hairy Vetch Vicia villosa

    Native to Europe or western Asia, Vicia villosa is suited to cooler climates. It is a viny legume with longsoft hairs on the stems and leaves. Branchingstems/vines are prostrate (30-70 cm), but can climb (up to 1-2 m) the stalks of any neighboring plants. Stems support long hanging groups of...

  35. Silk Tree Albizia lucida

    Albizia lucida is a nitrogen-fixing reforestation tree that grows quickly and tolerates poor soil and waterlogging. Timber from this tree is used for furniture, construction, and pulp. It can also be used as high protein fodder and a shade tree.

  36. Desmodium Desmodium heterocarpon

    This species of Desmodium is a nitrogen-fixing,short-lived perennial shrub. It does well in mixed legume/grass pastures and provides good quality forage.

  37. Greenleaf Desmodium Desmodium intortum

    Greenleaf desmodium is a vining, nitrogen-fixing, perennial legume adapted to tropical and sub-tropical climates. It is a good forage in mixed legume/grass pastures.

  38. Siratro Macroptilium atropurpureum

    The exact origin of this crop is not known but it is commonly grown from southern Texas south to Peru. It was named “Siratro” and first hybridized in the early 1960’s.

  39. Tick Trefoil Desmodium rensonii

    Desmodium rensonii is an erect, nitrogen-fixing, perennial shrub. This species is one of the preferred plants for the SALT (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) technique developed in the Philippines in the 1980’s. It is an excellent hedgerow and alley cropping plant that produces good amounts...

  40. White Lupine Lupinus albus

    White lupine is a cool season, nitrogen-fixing, bushyannual plant that grows up to 1.6 m in height and is adapted to higher altitudes in the tropics. It is mainly used for forage, green manure, or cover crops, but non-toxic modern varieties have been developed for human consumption. The beans are...

  41. Jack Bean Canavalia ensiformis

    Canavalia ensiformis is native to the West Indies and Central America. It closely resembles Sword Bean, C. gladiata, and the predominantly African wild species, C. virosa. C. ensiformis is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics although it is regarded as a minor vegetable rather than a...

  42. Lablab Lablab purpureus

    Lablab purpureus is bean capable of growing in a wide range of climatic conditions and soil types,depending upon the variety chosen. It is widely cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics and occurs wild in tropical Africa (including Madagascar) and India. The palatability of lablab...