Abstract
Line density effect on the yield of Leucaena leucocephala (Ll) and Gliricidia sepium (Gs) as cattle feed and green manure material in the Alley-cropping system was examined at Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand. Seedlings were transplanted in June on the 5m interval ridge with line spacing of 0.25m, 0.5m, 1.0m and 2.0m, and monitored the growth monthly until January. A pattern common to both species was growth in rainy season and following cessation in dry season. Survival after severe desiccation differed by species i.e. Gs with shallow root died notably while Ll with deep root survived. Averaged mass of Ll was the highest at 1m spacing and lowest at 2m, and the difference grown larger while difference was not clear in Gs over whole period. The denser the interval, the higher the yield per length became. Above ground yield converted into biomass ranged between 0.73 to 0.06 in Ll and 2.14 to 0.27 ton/ha in Gs. The spacing-dependent difference was apparent from the initial stage in Ll. Leaf yield after rainy season ranged 800 to 80 g/10m-ridge in case of Ll, and harvest of 0.25m or denser spacing by October was recommended since giving the highest leaf yield on the assumption that 2cm in stem diameter was the handling criteria.
