Sesbania vs Gliricidia – Which Tree for Your Agroforestry System?

Overview

Sesbania and gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) are staple species in tropical agroforestry systems. Gliricidia is favored in the Americas and parts of Africa for its durability and toxicity to rodents (the name means 'rat killer'), while sesbania is preferred in Asian systems for its rapid establishment and waterlogging tolerance.

Details

Gliricidia is typically established from cuttings (vegetative propagation), while sesbania is established from seed. This gives gliricidia an advantage in areas where seed supply is unreliable, but means sesbania can be established more quickly and at lower cost where seeds are available.

Why Choose Us

In practice, many successful agroforestry systems incorporate both species — sesbania for short rotation green manuring and rapid initial soil improvement, and gliricidia for permanent hedgerows and boundary plantings. Contact us for sesbania seed supply for your agroforestry projects.