Abstract
Growth potentials of tropical forage legume Aeschynomene introduced recently from Australia were evaluated under drained paddy field and upland field conditions from 1993 to 1995. Three Aeschynomene strains (A. americana L. cv.Glenn, CPI 93556 and cv. Lee) and phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb CV. Murray.) were sown in the drained paddy field and upland field on June 1 every year. Growth characteristics were measured at intervals of 15-20th days from July to November to draw growth curves. Dry matter yields of Glenn and 93556, annual plant, increased greatly from September to October. Dry matter yields of Aeschynomene in the drained paddy field cut at October were higher in 1994 than in the other two years, owing to higher solar radiation and longer sunshine hour. Dry matter yields of Aeschynomene in the drained paddy field were higher than those in the upland field in 1994 and 1995. Dry matter yields of Aeschynomene were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of phasey bean in October. Results of growth analysis revealed that leaf area index (LAI) of Aeschynomene was higher than that of phasey bean from September to October. Plant length, the number of main stem branches, that of petioles and leaf area of Aeschynomene greatly increased until October. In addition, plant length, the number of petioles and leaf area of Aeschynomene grown in the drained paddy field were higher than those in the upland field. Acetylene reduction activity and nodule dry matter weight of Aeschynomene increased until October, and they were higher in the drained paddy field than in the upland field. Nodule dry matter weight was correlated positively (P<0.01) with leaf area and leaf dry matter weight in Aeschynomene.
