Soil and pasture quality improver and erosion control
Lebbek is a very efficient N-fixing legume that nodulates abundantly without needing seed inoculation (Orwa et al., 2009). Thanks to its shade-providing dense canopy, soil moisture remains high under lebbek. Fallen leaves provide a lot of litter rich in organic matter during the dry season. The soil moisture increases litter breakdown and mineralisation of organic matter (Wild et al., 1993). Grasses growing under that canopy during the dry season are thus greener, have higher yields (1710 kg/ha under lebbek vs. 753 kg between lebbek rows) and maintain their nutritive value longer. Moreover, lebbek has an extensive shallow root system that quickly binds soil in eroded lands and riverbanks (Lowry et al., 1998).
Shade provider and shelter belt
Lebbek is used to provide shade in tea, coffee or cardamom plantations. It can withstand saline sprays and is thus valuable in exposed coastal situations where it can be used to form shelter belts for less hardy plants (Orwa et al., 2009).