The KX2 ‘Ohana’ leucaena is an interspecific cross of Leucaena pallida K636 and Leucaena leucocephala K8 developed by the Hawaii Agriculture Research Centre (HARC) for resistance to the psyllid insect which has hurt leucaena production in many regions of the world.
Compared to K636, KX2 'Ohana’ has superior psyllid resistance and greater cold tolerance. Whereas K636 only produces well at sea level, KX2 produced five times more foliage at 850 m (2800 ft) elevation than K636 grown at sea level.
Under dryland conditions with heavy psyllid infestations, KX2 yielded two times more foliage than K636.
Trials in Hawaii indicate that KX2 can be grazed 5-6 times/year in lowland tropics, with yields in rainfed environments in Hawaii ranging from 4-7 t/ha/yr (1.6-2.8 t/acre/yr) in the lowlands to 2-3.5 t/ha/yr (0.8-1.4t/acre/yr) at higher elevations.
If you would like a small packet of seed for experimentation, they are available from ECHO’s seedbank. Trial packets are free to those working with small-scale farmers in developing countries.
Cite as:
ECHO Staff 1997. KX2 'Ohana': A Forage Leueceana . ECHO Development Notes no. 57