Leucaena Leucocephala Research Articles

Allelopathic potential of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit leaf extracts on native species.

Allelopathy is seen as one of the possible factors that favor the invasion of exotic plants in the environment, as these species, by releasing allelochemicals, can negatively interfere with the establishment of native plants, facilitating the growth and dissemination of invasive exotic plants. This study aimed to verify the possible allelopathic effects of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (leucaena) on native tree species Pterogyne nitens Tul. and Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub., via laboratory bioassays. We used Petri dishes containing seeds of native species and aqueous extract of leucaena leaves with 2, 4, 8, 10 and 20% concentrations (m/v) for germination tests and estimated the percentage, mean time, and germination speed index at the end of the germination period. For initial growth, we kept the Petri dishes containing aqueous leucaena extract and germinated seeds of native species in a germination chamber at 25 °C, and after 48 hours we obtained the length of the primary root, hypocotyl, and fresh and dry biomass of the seedlings. We obtained the a, b, and total chlorophyll and carotenoid content of seedling leaves kept in the aqueous extract at different concentrations. We verified the content of total phenolic compounds in mg/L from the aqueous leucaena extracts. Both native species showed a reduction in the percentage and germination speed index when in contact with the aqueous leucaena extracts at the highest concentrations. The initial growth of native species was also negatively affected, and P. nitens showed a reduction of all growth parameters analyzed in all concentrations of the aqueous extract. P. dubium showed a reduction in growth, especially at the highest concentrations. The effects can be associated with phenolic compounds present in leucaena extracts, and we found the highest total phenolic content in the extract with the highest concentration. The results show the allelopathic potential of leucaena, which may contribute to this plant ability to settle in natural areas.

Evaluation of the productivity and feed value of Wondergraze and Redlands leucaena cultivars under grazing

Context Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a leguminous shrub used for beef grazing in low-rainfall regions (<600–700 mm). Newer cultivars have the potential to extend adoption of the species to higher rainfall (>600–700 mm), frost-free areas of Australia. Aim We compared productivity, nutritional value and animal performance of two leucaena cultivars, new psyllid-resistant Redlands and the 2010-released Wondergraze, under continuous grazing management in a higher rainfall environment. Methods Growing steers were allocated to replicated established stands of Wondergraze or Redlands with inter-row mixed grass–legume pasture from January to July 2021. Pasture and leucaena were characterised for biomass and nutritive characteristics. Botanical composition was measured. Liveweight gain, rumen fermentation, and leucaena mimosine breakdown products were measured in grazing steers. Key results At the beginning of the study, leucaena edible biomass was similar for both cultivars (P > 0.05), but at subsequent samplings, biomass of Redlands was lower than of Wondergraze (P < 0.01). Biomass of both cultivars declined rapidly over the grazing period. Pasture biomass increased between February and July and was significantly higher in Wondergraze paddocks (P < 0.05). Animal performance was not significantly different between cultivar treatments, averaging 0.8 kg/day, but declined over time. Patterns of mimosine conversion to DHP isomers and their conjugation were similar for the two cultivars, suggesting that effectiveness of detoxification did not differ between them. Conclusion The results demonstrate that leucaena can sustain high levels of animal performance when included in tropical grass pastures in a higher rainfall environment if present in a sufficient quantity (>2 t leucaena edible dry matter/ha established leucaena). Implications Grazing leucaena–grass pastures is an effective means of increasing animal productivity in parts of subtropical Australia. However, managing grass and/or leucaena growth to match animal requirements can be challenging.

Characterization Studies on New Cellulosic Fiber Extracted from Leucaena Leucocephala Tree

ABSTRACT The present world faces critical issues such as global warming, sea-level rise, and drastic change in the climate pattern due to the emission of greenhouse gases. Large-scale use and disposal of hazardous plastics contribute significantly to the present scenario and it becomes essential to use naturally derived materials for making plastics. Natural fibers were found to possess the inherent characteristics required for reinforcing the polymer. In this work, one such novel cellulosic fiber derived from the bast of Leucaena leucocephala was identified and characterized using tests such as chemical, tensile, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric, Differential scanning calorimetry, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Field emission scanning electron microscopy. The presence of high cellulose (59.03 wt.%) with high crystallinity index (63.10%) contributes to high tensile strength(415–693 MPa) and high tensile modulus (9.90–13.10 GPa) of the Leucaena leucocephala fiber (LLF). From thermogravimetric analysis, LLF was observed to be thermally stable up to 188.20°C and activation energy of 64.22 kJ/mol. The morphological analysis of LLF revealed the existence of honeycombed porous surface characterized with serrations, and this facilitates better bonding characteristics with polymer. Lower density, mechanical properties, and better thermal stability make LLF a suitable alternate for synthetic fibers while making composites.

PENGARUH PEMBERIAN HASIL FERMENTASI EKSTRAK BUAH LONTAR DAN FESES AYAM DALAM KONSENTRAT TERHADAP PEMANFAATAN ENERGI PADA TERNAK KAMBING (Effect of fermented palm fruits extract and chicken manure in concentrate on energy utilisation in goats)

This study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding palm fruit extrack and chicken manure on energy utilisation in goats. This study used a Latin Square Design with four treatments and four periods of data collection as replications. The four treatments were: BP (Botriochloa pertusa hay 40% + Leucaena leucocephala 30% + concentrate 30%), BPS (Botriochloa pertusa hay 40% + Leucaena leucocephala 30% + concentrate 20% + palm fruit extract 10%), BPFA (Botriochloa pertusa hay 40% +Leucaena leucocephala 30% + concentrate 20% + chicken feces 10%), BPSFA (Botriochloa pertusa hay 40% + Leucaena leucocephala 30% + concentrate 20% + palm fruit extract 5% + chicken feces 5%). The parameters measured consisted of the intake and digestibility of crude fiber, VFA concentration, and blood glucose levels. The result showed that feeding fermented of palm fruits extract at different levels in the concentrate have no significant effect (P>0.05) on the intake and digestation of crude fiber and the concentration of blood glucose. However, it had a significant effect (P<0.01) on the total VFA concentration. In conclusion, feeding fermented concentrate containing palm fruit extract and chicken feces increases the total VFA concentration but it does not increase the intake and digestation of crude fiber and the concentation of blood glucose in male goats.

Morphological Characteristics Selection of Acid-tolerant Leucaena leucocephala Mutant to Addition of IBA Hormone (Indole butyric acid) in Tissue Culture

Leucaena leucocephala is a legume forage plant that has a high protein content. Tissue culture is a technique that can be used to select mutants for forage plants in vitro. IBA (Indole butyric acid) is one type of auxin that can induce rooting and growth in plants. This study aimed to select the morphological characteristics of the acid-tolerant Leucaena leucocephala mutant to the addition of the hormone IBA in tissue culture. The design used in this study was a completely randomized design (CRD) with lamtoro plant explants as many as 11 acid-tolerant mutant lines pH 3.4 resulting from 400 gy irradiation which had been treated on 300 ppm Al3+ acid media, namely the K1-K11 strain (mutant+MS+1ppm IBA) and 2 parent trees Leucaena leucocephala without gamma irradiation, namely P0 as Leucaena leucocephala parent+MS+0ppm IBA, P1 as Leucaena leucocephala parent + MS + 1 ppm IBA with 15 replicates. The treatment which had a significant effect was continued with the test Tukey. Variables observed were an increase in root length, plant vertical height, number of shoots, and percentage of rooted plants. The increase in root length and increase in plant vertical height showed the best results on the K10 mutant strain, the number of shoots showed the best results on the K9 and K11 mutant strains, and the highest percentage of rooted plants on the K3 and K11 mutant strains. The addition of IBA can increase the morphological characteristics of the Leucaena leucocephala mutant.

Effect of Giving Lamtoro Leaf Extract and Pruning on Cucumber Plant Production (Cucumis Sativus L.)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) has a fairly good nutritional content and is in great demand by the public. Cucumber production in NTT continues to increase, but it is still low when compared to national production data. One of the efforts made is to use liquid organic fertilizers that are cheap and easy to get around us because they come from natural ingredients, namely plant residues or animal remains. Lamtoro leaf extract (Leucaena leucocephala, Ssp) is an organic fertilizer made from plants that is environmentally friendly. In addition to the fertilization factor, pruning activities are also needed to increase the weight of cucumber production. Pruning is a common cultivation action to limit excessive vegetative growth in plants so that nutrients or nutrients can be absorbed by the parts of plants that need them optimally. These nutrients can be provided by lamtoro leaf extract, then pruning is also carried out in order to reduce photosynthetic competition in order to increase cucumber production. Based on this description, it is felt that it is necessary to conduct research on the effect of giving concentration of lamptoro leaf extract and pruning on cucumber plant production. The purpose of this study was to determine the interaction of giving lamptoro leaf extract concentration and pruning on cucumber plant yields. This research was conducted from May to June 2022. This study was arranged using a randomized block design (RBD) in a factorial pattern with two factors. The first factor was the application of lamtoro leaf extract fertilizer consisting of four levels, namely: L0: control (without lamtoro leaf extract), L1: 400 cc of lamtoro leaf extract liter of water-1 plot-1, L2: 450 cc of lamtoro leaf extract liter of water-1 plot-1, L3: 500 cc of lamtoro leaf extract liter of water-1 plot-1. The second factor is pruning (P) consisting of three treatment levels, namely: P0: No pruning, P1: Pruning one leaf and one branch on segments 6–12, P2: Pruning two leaves and two branches on segments 6–12. The results obtained: administration of 500 cc of lamtoro leaf extract liter of water-1 plot-1 and pruning of two leaves and two branches on segments 6–12 of cucumber plants had a very significant effect on cucumber plant yields, concentration of 500 cc of lamtor leaf extract lamtoro liter of water-1 plot-1 and pruning two leaves and two branches on 6–12 plant nodes produced the best growth and yield of cucumber plants, the interaction between lamtor leaf extract and pruning resulted in plant length 79.33, fruit weight 284.83 g, fruit length 30 cm and fruit diameter of 4.48 cm. Recommendation: for cucumber cultivation, it is better to use POC of lamtor leaf extract 500 cc of lamtoro leaf extract liter of water-1 plot-1 and pruning of two leaves and two branches on internodes 6-12 plants. There needs to be further research on the use of POC concentrations of lamtoro leaf extract with higher concentrations to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers.

Anti-Salmonella activity of plant species in the Benin republic: Artemisia afra and Detarium senegalense with promising in vitro and in vivo activities

Non-typhoidal invasive Salmonella (NTiS) diseases are one of the most important zoonoses in the world. This study explored the antipathogenic potential of twenty-four plants used in Benin folk medicine against NTiS diseases. The in vitro antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of ethanolic plant extracts were screened against clinical resistant isolates and ATCC reference strains of Salmonella. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium-infected rat model was used to examine the in vivo antibacterial potential of plant extracts. Of the 24 plants, 18 plants exhibited antibacterial activity against Salmonella enterica strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.156 to 1.25 mg/mL. Anacardium occidentale, Artemisia afra, Detarium microcarpum, Detarium senegalense, and Leucaena leucocephala were the most active plant species. Extracts from A. afra, D. microcarpum, and D. senegalense showed biofilm inhibition greater than 50% against Salmonella clinical isolates. In the rat model of infection, A. afra and D. senegalense extracts were found to have an effective dose of less than 100 mg/kg and to stop the salmonellosis after 10 days of treatment. Additionally, these extracts did not produce any toxic effects in the treated animals. These results indicate clear evidence supporting the anti-Salmonella activity of A. afra and D. senegalense. Further studies are now needed to isolate bioactive compounds and to ensure the safety of these plant species.

Performance of water-extracted Leucaena leucocephala seeds as coagulant and alum in treating aquaculture effluent: effect of dosage, rapid mixing speed, and settling time

Performance of water-extracted Leucaena leucocephala seeds as coagulant and alum in treating aquaculture effluent: effect of dosage, rapid mixing speed, and settling time

Could nitrogen compounds be indicators of tolerance to high doses of Cu and Fe in the cultivation of Leucaena leucocephala?

Nitrogen metabolism and the production of primary and secondary metabolites vary according to biotic and abiotic factors such as trace elements (TE) stress, and can, therefore, be considered biomarkers. The present study evaluated the effect of copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) TE, separately, on the metabolism of nitrogen compounds and biomass production, partitioned into shoot and roots of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit., and identified possible defense mechanisms linked to nitrogen metabolism. At 120 days of cultivation, the biomass production of L. leucocephala was higher when exposed to excess Fe than Cu. Nonetheless, the biomass gain (%) of plants exposed to Cu was higher, especially the biomass gains in roots. The tolerance and biomass production of L. leucocephala is related to the regulation of nitrogen metabolism and production of secondary metabolites. The biochemistry of plant metabolism against the excess of Cu and Fe TE manifested similarly, but with some specifics regarding the chemical nature of each metal. There was a reduction in the content of ureides and proteins and an increase in amino acids in the roots in relation to the increase in Cu and Fe concentrations. There was low accumulation of proline in the roots in treatments 400 and 500 mg/dm3 compared to the control for both TE. On the other hand, the total phenolic compounds in the roots increased. Our results indicate that the increased synthesis of amino acids and the accumulation of phenolic compounds is involved in the tolerance of L. leucocephala to Cu and Fe.

Roost tree characteristics of Pteropus medius (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in the midland laterite hillocks of northern Kerala, India

The roost tree characteristics of Indian flying fox ( Pteropus medius ) were studied in the midland laterite hillocks of northern Kerala in peninsular India. A total of 170 trees belonging to 20 families, 32 genera, and 37 species were identified as roost trees from eleven roost sites located in Kannur and Kasargod districts of northern Kerala. Roost tree parameters such as habit, origin, diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, bole height, crown length, crown spread, and crown closure were analyzed. Families Anacardiaceae and Lamiaceae represented more number of roost trees in the study area. The mean bat abundance per tree for the entire study area was found to be 54.35±5.2 and it was highest for Ficus religiosa (peepal) followed by Tetrameles nudiflora (false hemp tree) and Leucaena leucocephala (subabul) . Bats showed a preference for native trees and did not show any difference in the selection of evergreen and deciduous trees for roosting. The study also revealed that P. medius prefers large trees with greater height, diameter, crown length, and crown spread. As the midland laterite hillocks are under severe habitat degradation, the study recommends preserving large trees for better conservation of the remaining habitats of P. medius in the area.

The potential habitat for bird migration in the coastline area of Banda Aceh City

The coastline of Banda Aceh is one of the locations where land, water and air elements meet. This meeting point functions as buffer zones for migrating birds as a place to find food, rest, and other activities. The aim of this study is to determine the type of migratory bird stopover habitat in the coastal area of Banda Aceh. This study is a descriptive qualitative research with a direct observation. The results of this study indicate that there are four types of migratory bird stopover habitats in the coastline of Banda Aceh which is rich in natural resources and plant vegetation to be used as a stopover for migratory birds, namely beaches, mangrove forests, ponds, and swamps with locations in Gampong Pande, Kuta Raja Subdistrict, Lampulo Village, in Kuta Alam Subdistrict, and Alue Naga Village, Syiah Kuala Subdistrict. This study revealed that these locations are rich in natural resources and plant vegetation, such as Rhizophora apiculata (oil mangrove), Rhizophora mucronata (loop-root mangrove), Avicennia marina (grey maggrove), Avicennia alba (Api-Api Putih), Casuarina equisetifolia (Coastal She-oak), and Leucaena leucocephala (river tamarind). These locations are ideal for migratory birds as they can be used as a stopover place to find food, rest, and breed.

Soil greenhouse gas emissions from different land utilization types in Western Kenya

IntroductionThere is a vast data gap for the national and regional greenhouse gas (GHG) budget from different smallholder land utilization types in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) at large. Quantifying soil GHG, i.e., methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from smallholder land utilization types, is essential in filling the data gap.MethodsWe quantified soil GHG emissions from different land utilization types in Western Kenya. We conducted a 26-soil GHG sampling campaign from the different land utilization types. The five land utilization types include 1) agroforestry M (agroforestry Markhamia lutea and sorghum), 2) sole sorghum (sorghum monocrop), 3) agroforestry L (Sorghum and Leucaena leucocephala), 4) sole maize (maize monocrop), and 5) grazing land.Results and discussionThe soil GHG fluxes varied across the land utilization types for all three GHGs (p ≤ 0.0001). We observed the lowest CH4 uptake under grazing land (−0.35 kg CH4–C ha−1) and the highest under sole maize (−1.05 kg CH4–C ha−1). We recorded the lowest soil CO2 emissions under sole maize at 6,509.86 kg CO2–Cha−1 and the highest under grazing land at 14,400.75 kg CO2–Cha−1. The results showed the lowest soil N2O fluxes under grazing land at 0.69 kg N2O–N ha−1 and the highest under agroforestry L at 2.48 kg N2O–N ha−1. The main drivers of soil GHG fluxes were soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, soil moisture, clay content, and root production. The yield-scale N2O fluxes ranged from 0.35 g N2O–N kg−1 under sole maize to 4.90 g N2O–N kg−1 grain yields under agroforestry L. Nevertheless, our findings on the influence of land utilization types on soil GHG fluxes and yield-scaled N2O emissions are within previous studies in SSA, including Kenya, thus fundamental in filling the national and regional data of emissions budget. The findings are pivotal to policymakers in developing low-carbon development across land utilization types for smallholders farming systems.

Evaluation of Some Forage as Feed for Ruminant Animal: Chemical Composition, In Vitro Rumen Fermentation, and Methane Emissions

This experiment aimed to evaluate chemical composition, in vitro rumen fermentation, digestibility, and methane emissions of forages including bede grass, gamal (Gliricidia sepium), Indigofera, lamtoro (Leucaena leucocephala), elephant grass, mini elephant grass and Thai elephant grass. Forage samples were dried at 60oC for 24 hours, then ground to 1 mm sieve. The ground samples were used subsequently to determine the chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation test. Incubation was carried out in a water bath at 39oC for 48 h without replication. The results showed that all forages contained various crude protein at a range of 9-20% DM. The proportion of neutral detergent insoluble CP (NDICP) and acid detergent insoluble CP (ADICP) in forage was generally low, but the highest was found in bede grass. The highest NH3 concentration was found in Indigofera incubation, and lowest was in bede grass. All forage samples, except for mini elephant grass and Indigofera, had IVDMD and IVOMD below 70%. We identified low methane emissions from forage at 48 hours of incubation. It was concluded that legumes had a higher crude protein than in grass species and had low methane emissions. However, the relatively low digestibility of legume may limit its utilization.

Impacts of seed-feeding beetles and their parasitoids on seed germination of Leucaena leucocephala and Senna multijuga (Fabaceae) in Brazil

We investigated the influence of seed-feeding beetles (Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) and their parasitoids on the germination performance of two Fabaceae, Leucaena leucocephala and Senna multijuga. We collected 150 fruits per species in forest fragments in the city of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, between July and August 2020. Seeds were examined and separated into predated and non-predated categories. The predated category was divided into two subcategories: predated by Coleoptera (Bruchinae) (PCO) and predated in the presence of Coleoptera parasitoids (PARCO). The non-predated category was divided into artificially injured (AI), intact seeds without insect infestation (IS), and intact seeds with insect infestation (SIF). Seeds of S. multijuga and L. leucocephala germinated to 40% and 30%, respectively. PCO and PARCO seeds not only had a negative and restricting influence on S. multijuga germination (no germination) but also contributed to a large proportion of non-viable predated seeds (38%). PCO (7%) and PARCO (23%), on the other hand, improved L. leucocephala germination. This work represents one of the first attempt to evaluate the parasitoid effect on seeds germination. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the effect of herbivore predation and the presence of parasitoids on host plant seed germination, which can be critical to mother plant fitness depending on plant species. Further studies are necessary to determine the extend seed consumption by beetles and the presence of their parasitoids may facilitate or impair seed germination, and consequently plant fitness in other systems.

Investigation on the Chemical Composition of Phenolic, Fatty Acid Profiles (GC-FID) and Biological Activities from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de wit) Seed Oil and Leaves Extracts: Effect of Geographical Location and Maturation Stage

Investigation on the Chemical Composition of Phenolic, Fatty Acid Profiles (GC-FID) and Biological Activities from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de wit) Seed Oil and Leaves Extracts: Effect of Geographical Location and Maturation Stage

EVALUATION OF IPIL-IPIL (Leucaena leucocephala) SEED GUM AS CO-ENCAPSULATING AGENT FOR TARGETED AND CONTROLLED DELIVERY OF POWDERED INSULIN PLANT (Chamaecostus cuspidatus)

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is the most common non-communicable disease in the Philippines, characterized by increased blood glucose levels brought by low insulin production or insulin resistance. Chamaecostus cuspidatus is a medicinal plant known for its glucose-lowering property. The controlled release of the C. cuspidatus leaves must be achieved to maximize its antidiabetic property. Leucaena leucocephala is an endemic tree in the Philippines, having its seed as a source of possible co-encapsulating material for drug delivery. Galactomannan, as the main component of the isolated seed gum, can be used as a substitute for an effective moderate drug release to its intended site. Thus, this study evaluates the drug release property and stability of seed gum as a co-encapsulating agent for targeted and controlled delivery of the C. cuspidatus leaves. The encapsulation process of the C. cuspidatus leaves was done through the extrusion method. The stability of the encapsulation was evaluated through in vitro gastrointestinal simulation analysis and was examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) to verify its surface morphology. The capsules were observed to fully disintegrate at the fed state (pH 5.4) of the simulated gastrointestinal conditions, which is the target site. The fingerprint on the FTIR spectra of the encapsulated drug presented indicates the successful incorporation of the powdered leaves inside the encapsulating material. Morphological micrographs have shown that the resulting capsules were fairly in spherical, having a size of approximately 3.8 mm. Ridges and pores are also present on the surface of the capsules for their immediate disintegration and hydration. Therefore, the L. leucocephala seed gum can be a potential candidate as a co-encapsulating material suitable for effective, targeted, and controlled delivery of C. cuspidatus leaves for maximum antidiabetic benefits.

Some Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic Antioxidants Response under Nickel and Lead Stress for Some Fabaceae Trees

This study investigates the effects of soil contamination by nickel and lead on some enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in addition to the nitrate reductase (NR) enzyme activity for Gleditsia triacanthos, Leucaena leucocephala, and Robinia pseudoacacia plant species. The results of this study show a significant increase in peroxidase enzyme activity and a significant decrease in catalase enzyme activity, proline, total carotenoids, and total carbohydrate content of leaves of the three species with increasing the concentration of Ni and Pb except for the total carbohydrate, which increased only for L. leucocephala species. Each NR enzyme activity and ascorbic acid content are increased significantly with increasing the concentration of Ni and Pb for G. triacanthos, L. leucocephala, and on the contrary, they decreased significantly for R. pseudoacacia species. From the result, we can conclude a general increase or decrease in leaves content of some antioxidants content for all the species, whereas there is some peculiarity according to the plant species regarding other contents, which in turn reflects different mechanisms of these species to tolerant heavy metal stress

Coagulation activity of liquid extraction of Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania grandiflora on the removal of turbidity

Abstract Turbidity is removed by adding a chemical coagulant, which produces a secondary toxic of alumina residues in the water. Therefore, the aim of study was to evaluate the coagulation activity of NaCl extract from Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania grandiflora seeds on the removal of turbidity for water purification. The proximate composition of the seeds was determined. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to identify the functional groups of protein, and the surface morphology was observed by SEM-EDS. To obtain the optimized condition, all experiments were evaluated by artificial turbid water before being applied on the natural water (i.e., Selokan Mataram). The coagulation process was evaluated by concentration (M), dosage (mL/L), and pH in terms of turbidity, total dissolved solids, and transmittance of light. The results showed that both coagulant seeds contained 25.32 and 30.81% of protein. These coagulants could remove the turbidity by 99.7% for L. leucocephala and 94.24% for S. grandiflora from artificial turbid water at the optimized concentration of 1.0 M, and dosage of 5 and 10 mL/L, respectively. At pH 5 the removal of turbidity from Selokan Mataram was 99.4% for L. leucocephala and 97.23% for S. grandiflora.

Mimosine facilitates Fe uptake by Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata in alkaline soils by solubilizing Fe-oxides

PurposeGiant leucaena is a tropical tree-legume that thrives in alkaline and calcareous soils. It contains large amounts of mimosine, the physiological role of which is not well understood. The goals of this study were to determine i) if mimosine is released by giant leucaena into the rhizosphere ii) if mimosine enhances solubility of Fe present in various forms in alkaline soil, and iii) if mimosine enhances transition metal uptake in giant leucaena.MethodsMimosine in the extracts of rhizosphere soil and root exudates was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to determine if it is released by giant leucaena. Iron concentration in tissue and aqueous samples was determined by ICP-OES analysis.ResultsMimosine was detected in both the rhizosphere eluates and root exudates. Mimosine added to samples of goethite, hematite and FeCl3 increased Fe solubility in water. Giant leucaena plants grown in alkaline soils and supplied with mimosine had higher levels of chlorophyll, Fe and Mn than the control plants.ConclusionMimosine is released by giant leucaena roots into the rhizosphere, where it interacts with Fe. Mimosine enhances solubility of insoluble Fe-oxides and prevents conversion of ferric Fe to insoluble oxides at an alkaline pH. Mimosine enhances Fe and Mn uptake in plants growing in alkaline soil conditions.

Development of Meso- and Macro-Pore Carbonization Technology from Biochar in Treating the Stumps of Representative Trees in Taiwan

This study uses the tree stumps of the three representative trees in Taiwan (Leucaena leucocephala, Syzygium samarangense, and Ziziphus jujuba) as the material source and recyclable oyster shell powder as an activator. A carbonization process for upgrading and recycling the tree stumps was developed with our homemade, digital-controlled, energy-saving carbonization system. First, the tree stumps are carbonized at a medium temperature of 500 °C and then heated to 900 °C for high-temperature carbonization, followed by the activation procedure as required. With our method, we can produce biochar with a high proportion of fixed carbon and a high proportion of meso- and macropores while maximizing the yield of wood vinegar. The specific surface area of the meso- and macropores can reach up to 70 m2/g or more. The effect of different activation materials on the pore characteristics and specific surface area of biochar was carefully examined. It was found that both KOH and oyster shell powder is the ideal activator for producing biochar with a high proportion of meso- and macropores. The FTIR spectrum, CEC, and contents of the ordinary elements and heavy metals of the biochar were also reported. It is clear from the FTIR data that the absorption peaks of the overall spectrum of the three types of biochar after carbonization at high temperature are cleaner than those of biochar carbonized at low temperature. This research can promote the recycling of agricultural residues, enhance soil carbon sequestration, preserve fertilizers, and suppress diseases and pests, moving towards approaching the goal of net-zero carbon emissions.