The effect of stocklength, stock diameter and planting angle on early establisment of Gliricidia sepium

Legume tree crops, which establish easily and do not require extensive agronomic inputs, constitute potentially valuable sources of supplementary feeds that subsistence and medium-scale livestock farmers in the tropics could use to improve livestock nutrition and productivity. A field trial was conducted with Gliricidia sepium cuttings to investigate the effect if three stock lengths (20, 30 and 40 cm), two stock diameters (1.5-2.5) and (3.0-3.5 cm) and three planting angles (30 degrees, 60 degrees and 90 degrees) in a factorial experiment. There were high significant differences (p < 0.05) in all the growth parameters of the stock diameters and stock lengths used. The highest dry matter yield of 3.83, 4.61 and 4.65 t ha(-1) were produced by stock length 20, 30 and 40 cm, respectively. The highest planting angle of 90 degrees produced the tallest shoot height and biggest basal diameter, while the least planting angle of 30 degrees produced the least shoot height and basal diameter, respectively. The interactions between the smaller stock diameter and the least planting angle (30 degrees) produced the least values of growth parameters. Gliricidia cuttings could be easily established with thicker stock diameter of not less than 3.0 and 40 cm stock length, planting in an angle between 60 and 90 degrees.