Cover Crop Seeds | Pueraria javanica (PJ)

PLANT CHARACTER

Fast-growing, trailing to twining annual/short-lived perennial legume. Forms a dense, self-regenerating ground cover under plantation canopies. Deep root system contributes to subsoil moisture access and nutrient cycling.

USES
Nitrogen fixation, erosion control, soil moisture retention, potassium cycling, weed suppression, and cover crop for replanting phases. In immature rubber, field research confirms Pueraria javanica fixes approximately 250 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year — with 85–93% of that nitrogen drawn directly from the atmosphere. In replanted rubber, a legume cover including Pueraria reduced runoff by 88% and soil loss by 98% versus bare soil (Perron et al., 2024).

GROWTH HABIT
Vigorous establishment under full sun and moderate shade. Produces 14,347 kg of fresh biomass per hectare at 150 days in Philippine plantation trials. Biomass decomposes at 95.66% within 3 months, releasing 3.572% N, 0.245% P, and 0.809% K directly into the root zone.

COCONUT & MULTI-CROP USE
Established as a basin legume in coconut, Pueraria javanica contributes 28.45 kg of biomass and 196.2 g of nitrogen per basin — and can substitute up to 30% of nitrogen fertiliser requirements (Indian Coconut Journal, 2022).

PLANTING TYPE & SEEDING RATE
Monoculture or mixture: 2–4 kg/ha

PLANTING METHOD
Direct sowing — broadcast or rows

DRY MATTER PRODUCTION
8–12 t/ha/year

NO. OF SEEDS/KG
~55,000 seeds