Prospective of Tree Lucerne in Hilly Areas for Fodder, Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration -A Review

Tree Lucerne or Tagasaste is native of dry volcanic slopes of La Palma island of Canary Islands, Pacific Ocean. The potential of tree Lucerne as a fodder was identified by Dr Perez, a medical practitioner, based on La Palma island in the 1870s, and Spanish cattle farmers. He wrote to the Spanish authorities for promoting tree Lucerne as a fodder but the Spanish government was not interested. He then sent seed to Kew Gardens in England. Kew Gardens tested tree Lucerne and its potential and then sent seeds to all its colonies around the world. It is grown in residential areas as boundary as feed stack to feed chicken, goat and cattle and also for aesthetic purpose. Livestock in hilly region depends mostly on grazing lands. The grasses in these lands have less protein, vitamins and minerals. Hence livestock are not getting nutritive foods. It is estimated that poor fodder availability from limited grazing land with poor nutritive value meets only 60 percent of the fodder needs in India. Hence production of quality and nutritive fodder and its efficient use is essential in the hilly area.