Legumes in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Abstract

Native, naturalized, and introduced legumes contribute significantly to the rangeland agriculture of the Virgin Islands. The plants most commonly used by livestock as grazing include species of Acacia, Aeschynomene, Cassia, Clitoria, Crotalaria, Desmodium, Galactia, Indigofera, Leucaena, Rhynchosia, and Teramnus. The main legumes cut for fodder include species of Acacia, Albizia, Cassia, Delonix, Erythrina, Leucaena, Samanea, and Tamarindus. Legumes generally increase livestock acceptance when browsed or mixed with forage grasses.

Cultivated legumes are established on the islands in pure or associated plantings, where they are used for grazing, browsing, silage, and forage The degree of success achieved with certain legumes under local conditions is attributed to inadequate and poorly distributed rainfall, alkaline soils and associated conditions leading to chlorosis, insects and diseases, inappropriate day length, and weed competition. Insects limit the success, especially seed production, of certain cultivated species. Lack of nodulation was not the cause of failure of any legume tested in field trials. Lespedeza, Medicago, Trifolium, and other small herbaceous forms do not thrive under local conditions when grown alone or in combination. Weed competition is the major factor limiting the success of many small, prostrate, or vining species such as Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp, Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC., Crotalaria juncea L. Dolichos lablab Z, Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Meir, and Vigna sinensis (Torner) Savi, which are particularly well adapted to local conditions, especially when grown alone. Velvetbean, Mucuna deeringiana, and Clitoria ternatea have been successfully grown in combination with grasses. A list of the most prominent legumes in the Islands is included, in the forms of trees, shrubs, herbs, and vining plants.