Gliricidia as a renewable fuel. ( Introduction )

Gliricidia sepium is a fast growing, tropical tree which native to the Central America and Mexico. Gliricidia has been widely introduced to many tropical countries as an exotic species. It is used for many purposes because of its high productivity and adoptability. It has been introduce to Sri Lanka before 300 years by the Western Indian Ministries. After that since about 100 years Gliricidia has spread through Tea estates as a shady tree for the tea plantation. As well as it has been introduced to pepper plantation as a helping tree for the pepper sprouts. It has been introduced to Coconut plantation as a fencing tree.

Kingdom         :Plantae          
                                

Order               : Fabales

Family             : Fabaceae

Subfamily       : Faboideae

Genus             : Gliricidia

The tree is a small thorn less, semi-deciduous tree normally growing to 12m and will develop a trunk of about 30 cm of average diameter; however it is often grown under management systems which keep its overall size and development much smaller than this and its overall shape within agricultural environments tends to be modified by lopping and pruning. The leaves are alternate and pinnate meaning that each complete leaf is made of a group of smaller leaflets. Commonly the total leaf is 15-30 cm composed of 7-17 leaflet pairs plus a terminal leaflet. Gliricidia has lot of local names such as Wetahiriya, Wetamara, Ladappa, Kola Pohora, Ginisiriya and Albesia.

Some important characteristics of Gliricidia which use to plant with coconut.

1. Enrich the soil condition and prevent the soil erosion.
2. Week coconut plantations can be rehabilitated using Gliricidia.
3. It is growing well in various soil conditions and somewhat hard climate conditions.
4. The coconut planters aware of this tree since many years.
5. It’s easy to breed and plant.
6. It is sustain to frequent pruning.
7. Few damaged from pest and other diseases.
8. Gliricidia can be used as good fuel wood.
9. It is very easy to maintain and doesn’t need any special fertilizers.
10. Gliricidia doesn’t give any bad effects on coconut plantation.