river koko

Inga species are symbiotic with ants (e.g., Pheidole species), which feed on the nectar of the extrafloral nectaries. In exchange, the ants patrol over the Inga plant to protect it against herbivores. Certain insects, such as Riodinid caterpillars, excrete sugary honeydew from their tentacle nectaries. The ants form a symbiosis with the caterpillars by letting them feed on the tree in exchange for their sugary honeydew. The inga plant can also form symbiotic relationships in which nitrogen gas can be fixated by rhizobial bacteria and mycorrhiza, as can other legumes. Surveys have shown that I. edulis forms a mutualistic relationship with Bradyrhizobium bacteria.

Food crop

I. edulis has been cultivated as a fruit tree for millennia, and is widely sold on the local South American marketplace, mainly for the sweet, succulent pulp surrounding the seeds. The white pulp (aril) is consumed raw as a sweet snack, though it is less nutritious than the seeds. Toxic compounds such as trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors contained in the seeds of I. edulis are destroyed through cooking.The taste is described as resembling that of vanilla ice cream. Some varieties even possess a slight cinnamon flavor. The seeds are edible only when cooked and have a taste similar to that of chickpeas. In Colombia, the arils are also used to prepare an alcoholic beverage called cachiri for a festival of the same name. The native women chew the arils and spit the mixture into a vat, where it is left to ferment. The fruit ripens quickly and can only be kept for three to four days, limiting potential export opportunities, but refrigeration can extend shelf life to about three weeks.

Use in agroforestry systems. Due to its rapid growth and ability to improve soil properties, I. edulis has found widespread use in tropical agroforestry. Most notably, inga alley cropping is used as an alternative to slash-and-burn cultivation. It is also a popular shade tree for coffee, cocoa, and tea plantations. …

I. edulis is widely cultivated in agroforestry systems in its neotropical dispersal area. This form of cultivation, often associated with coffee or cocoa culture, is widely known since pre-Columbian times. Germination of I. edulis seeds is fairly easy, as the seeds are recalcitrant and often germinate already in the pod. Seeds lose their ability to germinate, though, after two weeks of storage. Direct sowing of the seeds is possible, but the establishment of seedlings with already a certain height can decrease competition with noxious weeds, thus increasing growth. Further, the inoculation with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi in depleted soils is recommended to promote growth. These inoculi can easily be produced by collecting soil, nodules, and fine roots from mature, nodulated I. edulis stands. This species seems to be very resistant to pests and diseases. Minor damage can result from fungal attacks in the seedling stage. Mature I. edulis can be defoliated by Lepidoptera larvae. Also, fruit fly larvae often damage the seed testa. In Ecuador, I. edulis is specially susceptible to mistletoe infestations.