Calliandra calothyrsus production and use: a field manual

Hoang Xuan Ty, Endang Hernawan, M. de S. Liyanage, Mapatoba Sila, Hikmat Ramdan, A. Ng. Gintings, Yayat Hidayat, Adji Setijoprodjo, Ralph Roothaert, Rodrigo Arias, and Duncan MacqueenCalliandra calothyrsus is a popular multipurpose tree because it is easy to establish, grows quickly, and resprouts after repeated harvests. In many parts of Indonesia, these trees are planted for fuelwood and livestock fodder, for soil conservation and improvement, and as a nurse tree for other species. Producing flowers throughout the year, C. calothyrsus is also an important species for honey production. The successful use of this species in Indonesia has stimulated wider interest, and trials are currently underway in other countries to evaluate the potential of C. calothyrsus, particularly for soil improvement and livestock fodder. The use of C. calothyrsus in animal production systems is discussed separately in Chapter 5.Fuel and pulpwoodMore than 30,000 hectares of C. calothyrsus fuelwood plantations have been established on private and public lands in Java, Indonesia. The dense wood (specific gravity of 0.5 to 0.8) dries rapidly and burns well, producing about 4,600 kcal of heat per kg of dry wood and 7,200 kcal of heat per kg of charcoal. For fuelwood production, C. calothyrsus is usually planted at a spacing of 1 x 1 m or 1 x 2 m. To encourage rapid resprouting, trees should be cut to a height of 30 to 50 cm at the end of the dry season. Annual fuelwood yields range from 5 to 20 m3/ha from one-year-old plantations and 30 to 65 m3/ha from 20-year-old plantations (NAS 1983).In the Pintulung Valley of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, C. calothyrsus plantations are a major source of fuelwood for homebased production of palm sugar (Arenga pennata). Farmers prefer Calliandra fuelwood because it burns hotter then other woods end thus less time is required to prepare the palm extract. Calliandra calothyrsus wood is also burned to smoke sheet rubber, dry copra, and heat brick and tile ovens.A paper company in West Java, Indonesia, mixes pulp of C. calothyrsus with pulp of Paraserianthes falcataria and Leucaena leucocephala. With a cellulose content of 44 to 51 percent, C. calothyrsus is a suitable component for paper pulp (NAS 1983), but its low density and folding endurance limit its usefulness. It can provide a filler, but should comprise no more than 10 percent of total pulp. When planting C. calothyrsus for pulpwood production, a 2 x 2 m spacing (2,500 trees/ha) is recommended.

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