Key descriptors for fodder trees
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The key descriptors for fodder trees consist of an initial minimum set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for some species of the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). This strategic set aims at facilitating access to and utilization of these species, and it does not exclude the addition of other descriptors later. This work has been done jointly with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The key set of access and utilization descriptors was defined through an online survey, in which 24 experts from 14 different organizations and universities from 13 countries participated.
Fodder trees are an important feed resource for livestock, providing feed in the dry season when other forages may be in short supply. Their deep-rooting nature and fast growth have made them a valuable feed resource to extend the use of sown forages over longer periods of the year in tropical and subtropical areas. Fodder trees come from a wide range of plant families, but these general fodder tree descriptors are intended to be used for characterization and evaluation of a group from the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Calliandra calothyrsus, Cytisus proliferus, Gliricidia sepium, Sesbania sesban and Faidherbia albida. These are all fast-growing species already adopted by smallholder farmers worldwide.