Efficacy of root litter as a biofertiliser

The efficacy ofLeucaena leucocephala root litter as a natural biological fertiliser was assessed usingZea mays as a test plant. Up to 8% of the fine roots of the plants constituted root litter. This fine root litter was better than that ofTrigonella foenum-graecum at increasing the growth and productivity ofZea mays. The root litter increased the growth of maize shoots more than the growth of roots. This appears to be a general phenomenon when plant nutrients are insufficient, as in the present study.