Sesbania sesban is a fast-growing nitrogen-fixing legume native to tropical Africa and Asia, widely used for fodder, green manure, and agroforestry applications
Before sowing
Scarification
mecanica Acid or abrasive scarification preferred over hot-water treatment; hot water treatment results in large percentages of non-viable seed
Soak
24 h Soaking in cold or tepid water for 24 hours may be effective; hot water treatment at just below boiling for 30 seconds also used
Seeds have hard, impermeable seed coat requiring scarification for uniform germination
Sowing
Substrate
well-draining loam or potting mix
Depth
1cm
Temperature
25°C
Moisture
alta
Container
nursery seedbeds or polythene bags
What to expect
Step 1
Pre-treat the seed
Step 2
Sow at 1cm · 25°C
Day 3–24
Seedlings emerge (~65%)
Tips
Extra water required to initiate germination; seedlings establish readily on moist bare soil; photoperiod sensitive, flowering occurs in short days; very susceptible to insect attack during storage
Sources: UC Davis SAREP, Tropical Seeds, Agroforestree Database, IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank, Botanikks, Infonet Biovision, Tropical Forages, CABI Compendium, ECHOcommunity, MDPI review
