Powerful Nitrogen-Fixing Green Manure: As a legume, Crotalaria assamica forms symbiotic relationships with rhizobia to fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching soil fertility naturally. It is widely used as a green manure and cover crop in tropical and subtropical agriculture.
Excellent for Soil Erosion Control: Its extensive root system and rapid growth habit make it highly effective for stabilizing soil on slopes, roadsides, and degraded lands, preventing erosion while improving soil structure.
Traditional Medicinal Value: In traditional medicine, extracts of the whole plant are used to treat skin conditions including impetigo and scabies, as an antiseptic for cuts, and to treat intestinal worms. The root extract is also used to treat bladder stones.
High Germination Rate with Simple Pre-Treatment: Seeds exhibit physical dormancy due to a hard seed coat. Scarification (soaking in hot water at 80°C for 2 minutes or mechanical scarification) significantly improves germination, with rates reaching 69-72% compared to 3-5% for untreated seeds.
 
Life Cycle    Perennial (herbaceous subshrub/shrub) 
Foliage    Simple leaves, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 5-15 cm long, 2-4 cm wide. Dark green and glabrous above, densely sericeous (silky-hairy) beneath.
Bark / Stem    Stems robust, cylindrical, 1-1.5 m tall, covered with rust-colored or silky pubescence. Stems have a hollow pith.
Plant Height    Typically 1-1.5 meters (3-5 ft), occasionally reaching 2 meters.
Planting Season    Spring to early summer (May-June in subtropical regions). Seeds should be scarified before sowing to break physical dormancy.
Bloom Season    Variable by region: May-September in some areas, August-October in others, or September to February in tropical regions.
Fruit Season    August to December (varies by climate). Pods are oblong, 4-6 cm long, containing 20-30 seeds.
Use    Green Manure/Cover Crop: Fixes nitrogen, improves soil fertility, suppresses nematodes.
Erosion Control: Stabilizes slopes and degraded lands.
Medicine: Whole plant extracts for skin conditions, antiseptic, and intestinal worms; root for bladder stones.
Ornamental: Showy yellow flowers.
Growing Conditions    Light: Full sun preferred.
Soil: Tolerates a range of soils including poor, acidic, and degraded soils; not suitable for heavy clay or saline-alkaline soils.
Climate: Tropical to subtropical; drought-tolerant once established.
Altitude: 50-3000 m.
Note: Seeds contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids and are toxic to livestock; not for human or animal consumption.
 
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