Leucaena Leucocephala Seeds Research Articles

Morphologic Differentiation of the Exotic Parasitoid Eupelmus pulchriceps (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) in the Galapagos Archipelago

The historical and geographical properties of the archipelagos allow a detailed study of species diversification, and phenotypic traits can indicate the extent of such processes. Eupelmus pulchriceps (Cameron, 1904) is an exotic species to the Galapagos archipelago, and generalist parasitoid that attacks a beetle species that consumes the seeds of the invasive shrub Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Despite extensive sampling, the wasp is recorded only in Santa Cruz and San Cristobal islands of the Galapagos archipelago. Thus, using 112 female wasps, we compare body size, proportion, and allometric differentiations within and between the two islands. There were no body size differences between islands. A PerMANOVA indicates differences between the islands and a single differentiation between two localities of one island. Allometric differences between islands were not the same for all structures. These results are consistent with the greater distance between islands than between localities and suggest a differentiation process. The variables with allometric differentiation are associated with wings and ovipositor, possibly responding to different ecological pressures. It is interesting that this parasitoid, recently arrived at the archipelago, is already showing differentiation. Also, it is essential to monitor the behavior of these wasps in the archipelago, given their potential to access other species affecting the trophic interactions of the local biota.

Description of the herbivore and natural enemy community associated with the seeds of an invasive plant in Brazil

Abstract Studies have shown that fruits of plants from the Fabaceae family harbour a diverse community of herbivorous insects and their natural enemies. Despite this observation, we still lack information on the specific interactions within these multi‐trophic communities. Herein, we describe the food web of insects associated with fruits and seeds of Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae), an invasive plant in Brazil, and their relationship with plant traits including seed biomass. We found 17 species of insects distributed across three trophic levels. The main herbivore species sampled was Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae), which was responsible for most of the seed predation and associated with the highest parasitoid biodiversity (N = 10 species). Four other herbivorous species were lower in abundance, including a previously unreported Lepidopteran species with two parasitoids and one hyperparasitoid associated with it. Seeds with more mass promoted an increase in insect abundance, insect species richness, and the number of links and connectivity. We observed two native parasitoid species, Paracrias pluteus and Stenocorse suldamericanos, shift from herbivores on native plants to herbivores on the invasive L. leucocephala, consistent with a potential host shift. However, more investigation is required to ascertain the effects of recent shifts of native insect communities (on native plants) to non‐native ones and their consequences on plant fitness. Our study contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of communities and food webs in unknown systems, specifically in fruits of an invasive plant, and provides information about the influence of different plant traits on these communities.

Effect of increasing levels of Leucaena leucocephala seeds to grass pellets on performance of grower rabbits.

The study was carried out to determine the chemical composition of composite pellets of Megathyrsus maximus containing Leucaena leucocephala seed meal at the varying level and growth responses, as well as haematological and serum biochemical of rabbits, fed the pellets for 60 days. The treatment consists of M. maximus and L. leucocephala-100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40, respectively. Results revealed an increase (P < 0.05) in the proximate composition of the grass pellets with an increase in seed inclusion while there was a reduction (P < 0.05) in the NDF contents of the pellets. An increase in the tannin contents was recorded with an increase in seed inclusion to the grass pellets. Rabbits fed with 30 and 40% inclusions of seed in the grass pellets had similar weight gain while the lowest feed conversion ratio was recorded in rabbits fed grass with 30% seed inclusion. Packed cell volume, RBC and lymphocyte in rabbits were altered with feeding grass seed pellet (P < 0.05), although no particular pattern was followed. Total protein, globulin and urea contents were reduced in the rabbits as the contents of the seeds in the grass pellets increased. Albumin contents in pellets with 30% of seeds were higher in the rabbits fed the pellets above other treatments. It can be concluded that increasing the seed meal level up to 30% in grass pellets supported growth response without inflicting any side effects on the health indices of the rabbits.

Porous hydrogel composite with whey protein isolate and galactomannans of Leucaena leucocephala (subabul) seeds: Stability, rheological, thermal, and morphological characterization.

The present study was aimed at curating a porous KCl crosslinked hydrogel with purified subabul galactomannans (SG) from the defatted seeds of Leucaena leucocephala (subabul) and κ-carrageenan (κC) by inducing whey protein isolate (WPI). WPI showed 345% foam overrun and minimal foam drainage (%) at 70°C when whipped for 5min at pH 6.8 in the hydrogel prepared with 6.5% w/v SG+1% w/v κC+0.63% w/v KCl+2% w/v WPI. The SG and WPI incorporated porous hydrogel (SGWP) showed maximum G' (3010Pa) and frequency independence (>30Hz) at 65°C. NMR (1 H), scanning electron microscopy, and thermal characterization of SGWP showed a crosslinked microporous gel network formation. SGWP had high water uptake rate (Q) (432%) at 45°C. The stability of SGWP at neutral pH and high temperature (65°C) added an impetus to this study as it could be used for a wide range of applications. Hence the protein-polysaccharide complexation improvised the functional properties of the porous hydrogels. The results suggested a possible valorization of galactomannans from subabul, a forest resource, into a porous hydrogel suitable as a matrix for delivery of bioactive(s) or an aerogel for multifarious industrial applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: A porous hydrogel is defined as a solid, or collection of solid bodies, with sufficient open space to enable a fluid to pass through or around them. Leucaena leucocephala seed (forest resource) galactomannans are non-starch polysaccharides having weak gelling capacity. Whey protein isolates (WPI) are a dairy industry byproduct having excellent foaming properties. Incorporation of WPI in the hydrogel prepared with subabul galactomannan and κ-carrageenan using KCl as a crosslin could form a stable porous structure having high water uptake rate (Q) at neutral pH and elevated temperature. The hydrogel so developed could be a step toward circular economy.

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

Valorization of arabinoxylans from Linum usitatissimum (flaxseed) and galactomannans from Leucaena leucocephala (subabul) to develop hybrid hydrogels: Rheological, morphological and thermal characterization

The present investigation was aimed at preparing hydrogels from galactomannans extracted from the defatted seeds of Leucaena leucocephala (subabul) (SGM) and κ-carrageenan (кC) in an aqueous phase (pH 6.8) using KCl as ionic crosslinker. The dynamic moduli (G’ and G”) and Power law parameters (n’ and n”) of the hydrogels were optimized through full factorial design (CCD). The optimized hydrogel was prepared with SGM (6.5% w/v) and кC (1% w/v) in the presence of KCl (0.63% w/v) (GA1). A hybrid hydrogel using a combination of SGM and crude arabinoxylan from flaxseed (FX) was also optimized similarly as GA1. The optimized hybrid hydrogel was composed of FX (1% w/w), SGM (5.5% w/v), and кC (1.32% w/v) crosslinked with 0.25% w/v KCl (GAX). GAX showed higher dynamic moduli (G’-2871 Pa, G”-1711 Pa) than GA1 (G’-2589 Pa and G”-1399 Pa) due to the formation of stable interpenetrating polymer network between the hydrogel components. The structural (NMR (1H), FTIR), morphological (SEM), rheological as well as thermal studies confirmed superior characteristics of GAX than GA1. This was also evident from high gel strength (2019 N) and increased firmness (1231 N.s) of GAX. GAX also exhibited 389% water uptake ratio (q) at neutral pH and 45 ℃, and did not show any syneresis for 72 h at 4 ℃. The synergistic amalgamation of a galactomannan from a forest resource and an arabinoxylan from flaxseed processing byproduct not only valorizes them but also enables the development of a self-stable hydrogel that can find far reaching applications in various industrial sectors.

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Polysaccharide of Leucaena leucocephala Seeds and Their Anticancer, Antifungal Properties and as Preservative of Composite Milk Sample

The AgNPs were synthesized using water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from the Leucaena leucocephala seeds. The UV-visible spectrum of the AgNPs showed a sharp absorption peak at 448 nm. The XRD analysis showed four major peaks of the crystalline AgNPs with planes of a face-centered cubic lattice of silver. The EDS spectrum showed a strong signal peak at ~3 keV. TEM and SEM observations showed the spherical shape of AgNPs with no particle agglomeration, and the size ranged from 8 to 20 nm. AgNPs were highly stable at -14.2 mV by zeta potential measurement. AgNPs showed significant anticancer activity against the cell lines of breast cancer, liver carcinoma, and colon carcinoma with the I C 50 value of 22.5, 12.3, and 8.9 μg mL-1, respectively. AgNPs at 900 μg mL-1 exhibited considerable antifungal activity against ten fungal pathogens. Water-soluble polysaccharide has the ability to synthesize AgNPs keeping strong antitumor, antifungal activities. The AgNPs can slow down spoilage of composite milk samples at different temperatures. In addition, the accuracy of milk-IR-analyses was not affected by different concentrations of AgNPs.

Effect of Different Concentrations of Silver Nitrate AgNO3 on Leucaena leucocephala Seeds Germination and Seedling Growth in MS Culture Media and Callus Induction

Effect of Different Concentrations of Silver Nitrate AgNO3 on Leucaena leucocephala Seeds Germination and Seedling Growth in MS Culture Media and Callus Induction

Changes to the chemical and microbiological characteristics of Leucaena leucocephala seeds during tempeh fermentation in Pacitan, East Java

Lamtoro tempeh is a traditional Indonesian fermented food made from lamtoro (Leucaena leucocephala). In Pacitan, it is usually fermented using usar (a traditional tempeh inoculum made from senggani leaves). The fermentation process takes 42 hrs and during this period, there are changes in the chemical and microbiological characteristics of the lamtoro seeds. To study these changes, samples were collected and tested for chemical characteristics (water content, ash content, dissolved protein, pH, and total acid titration) and microbiological characteristics (the number of fungi, yeast, and lactic acid bacteria) every 6 hrs during the 42 hrs fermentation. During fermentation, the water content increased significantly in the initial 6 hrs of fermentation and then tended to stabilize until the 42-hour. The ash content increased, while the dissolved protein content increased from the 0-hour to the 36-hour of fermentation but dropped at the 42-hour. The pH level of the lamtoro tempeh decreased from 0-hour until 30-hour and then increased until the end of the fermentation period. However, the level of total acid titration increased during the lamtoro tempeh fermentation. The growth of fungi, yeast and lactic acid bacteria initially declined but then gradually increased until the end of fermentation (42-hour). The fermentation time was found to affect both the number of microbes and the chemical characteristics of the lamtoro tempeh from the Pacitan area.

Optimization of Upstream Processing for the Production of Bioethanol from Leucaena leucocephala Seeds using Kluyveromyces marxianus UniMAP 1-1

Biofuel industry is gradually growing as the market starts to shift the demand from non-renewable energy sources to renewable energy sources The aim of this study is to produce bioethanol from biomass feedstock which is Leucaena leucocephala. It is a potential lignocellulosic energy source as it contains high composition of carbohydrates which can be broken down into fermentable sugar through pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis prior to the fermentation into bioethanol. Screening for both upstream processing were conducted by OFAT experiments to optimize several parameters tested such as pretreatment temperatures and NaOH concentrations. Fermentation process was conducted in Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) conditions aided by Kluyveromyces marxianus UniMAP 1-1 as the fermenting microbes. This yeast is capable in converting sugar to ethanol at high temperature. The optimization of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis by using OFAT gave the optimum value for both process prior to fermentation. The ethanol obtained from this SSF Fermentation is 3.15 g/L of bioethanol from 25.0 g/L of total sugars in hydrolysate. This report provides further information in the interest of producing bioethanol from Leucaena leucocephala seeds using Kluyveromyces marxianus UniMAP 1-1.

Valorization of underutilized river tamarind Leucaena leucocephala seeds biomass for cellulose nanocrystals synthesis

River tamarind or scientifically Leucaena leucocephala, is one of the underutilized nanocellulose resources with the potential to be used in reinforcement materials. This work evaluated the use of the insoluble residual waste or marc obtained during the isolation of galactomannan from Leucaena leucocephala seed (LLS) as a feedstock of cellulose to obtain cellulose nanocrystals by a two-step acid hydrolysis followed by its characterization and morphological study. The first step involved acid hydrolyzation of the hemicellulose and lignin from LLS, while the second step dealt with the removal of the amorphous region to produce crystalline LLS nanocrystals (NLLS). The physicochemical properties of nanocrystals were characterized using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analyzer (PSA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The NLLS isolated showed a rod-like structure in the range of 70–90nm in diameter with a crystallinity index of 76% and thermal stability at 264°C. PSA indicates that 97.5% of the size distribution of NLLS was below 136.9nm. GPC analysis also revealed that the sulphuric acid hydrolyzation during the second step caused a reduction in the molecular weight due to the cleaving of glycosidic bonds in the structure. These results indicated that LLS waste is a potential feedstock for cellulose nanocrystals preparation.

Antioxidant, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and α-amylase inhibitory activities of protein hydrolysates of Leucaena leucocephala seeds

ABSTRACT The Leucaena leucocephala seeds (LLS) cotyledon proteins, globulins, and glutelins were independently hydrolyzed by Alcalase, Trypsin, and α-Chymotrypsin up to 180 min. The degree of hydrolysis (DH), antioxidant, ACE-inhibitory, and α-Amylase inhibition were assessed. The higher DH values were 76.75% and 82.71% for globulin α-Chymotrypsin, and glutelin Alcalase hydrolysates, respectively. The glutelin hydrolyzed with Trypsin showed the higher DPPH• antioxidant activity while the higher ABTS antioxidant activity was for globulin Alcalase hydrolysate after 180 min digestion. The highest ACE-inhibitory activity was 95.44% for globulin-Alcalase hydrolysate at 180 min; while, for the α-Amylase inhibition assay, glutelin-Alcalase showed the highest values at 100 min of reaction. LLS cotyledon protein concentrates and hydrolysates with relatively low mimosine content were obtained after protein extraction. Such findings indicate the possibility of getting bioactive peptides from LLS cotyledon proteins using enzyme digestions and might be utilized for functional foods with physiological enhancer effects.

Adsorption of Acid Dye by Activated Carbon from Agricultural Solid Waste Leucona Leucocephala Seed Shell Waste: Kinetics, Equilibrium and Isotherm Study

Activated carbons from Leucaena leucocephala Seed Shell left over were generated accompanied by 10% phosphoric acid solution in the N2 atmosphere by chemical activation and their characteristics were investigated. SEM, FTIR and XRD analysis were used to analyse the characteristics of the triggered preparations. Isothermal models, namely the Freundlich and Langmuir representations, were the equilibrium studies carried out.. The equilibrium adsorption result was better suited to the isotherm model of Langmuir and its maximum monolayer adsorption potential for acid blue was 70.67 mg/g. Adsorption kinetics studies have shown that the best fit is provided by the pseudo second-order dynamic model. An intraparticle dispersion model demonstrated that the dissemination of the intraparticle was not a step of rate control. Studies of thermodynamics have shown that the sorption mechanism is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The findings suggest that the seed shells of Leucaena leucocephala may be used as a possible adsorbent for Acid blue1 adsorption.

A Glucose binding lectin from Leucaena leucocephala seeds and its mitogenic activity against human lymphocytes

Lectins are a specialized group of proteins with immense biological properties and applications. This study describes the purification and characterization of a lectin from Leucaena leucocephala seeds, a plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. Leucaena leucocephala lectin (LLL) was purified by a two-step purification method involving DEAE-cellulose anion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-75 size exclusion chromatography. The isolated lectin displayed a high haemagglutination titre upon treatment with rabbit erythrocytes. SDS-PAGE and Reverse-Phase High performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis experimentally revealed the presence of three bands corresponding to 37, 27 and 20 kDa indicating the presence of isolectins. Periodic Acid Schiff's (PAS) staining of LLL confirmed the presence of glycoprotein. Various biochemical parameters were analysed to study its effect on the haemagglutination activity. Sugar inhibition studies experimentally revealed that Glucose was the most potent inhibitor. Fluorescence spectrometric analysis of LLL and Glucose indicated a strong interaction with an association constant of 0.159 × 103 M−1. Circular Dichroism spectroscopy indicated a higher alpha helical content (25.27%). LLL was observed to possess mitogenic activity against Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The present investigation reports the isolation of a novel lectin from this plant which could contribute towards the diagnostic studies of certain diseases and for its therapeutic potential.

Magnetically assisted coagulation using iron oxide nanoparticles-Leucaena leucocephala seeds’ extract to treat synthetic Congo red wastewater

This study focused on utilization of Leucaena leucocephala seeds’ extract and iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) under magnetic field to provide effective coagulation process. Leucaena seeds’ extract was obtained using 3 M NaCl solution as solvent at feed-to-solvent mass ratio of 1:20. IONPs were synthesized using co-precipitation method. The obtained IONPs were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Based on analysis results, the obtained IONPs were the agglomerate of Fe3O4 phase with average particle diameter of 14.6 nm. The extract and IONPs were used as natural coagulant at various pHs (3–12), coagulant dosages (4–40 mL extract/L), and IONPs concentrations (0.5–3 mg/mL extract) under external magnetic field. It was obtained that pH 3 was the best pH because positively charged Leucaena protein at pH 3 acts to neutralize negatively charged Congo red molecules. The highest removal was obtained at coagulant dosage of 20 mL/L, and further increase in dosage was decreasing the removal due to colloid re-stabilization effect. The variation of IONPs concentration did not give any effect on the %removal and sludge volume. However, further investigation using pseudo-second-order kinetic model showed that the increase in IONPs concentration gave increase to the kinetic constant, signifying faster settling kinetics. The best condition was obtained at pH 3, coagulant dosage 20 mL/L, and IONPs concentration of 3 mg/mL extract that gave 90% Congo red removal, 30 mL/L sludge volume, and 30 min settling time.

Investigation on Antioxidants Compounds Composition Contains in Leucaena Leucocephala (Petai Belalang)

The main objective of the current work was to investigate the unknown compound composition contains in Leucaena Leucocephala (Petai Belalang) to prove that there were antioxidants properties presents in the leaves and seeds of the plant. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the samples. It was found that for both leaves and seeds sample of Leucaena Leucocephala, the spectrum had shown the main existence of alcohol (O-H bond. As the O-H bond is the main element of antioxidant and phenolic compound, the FTIR analysis shows for the high possibilities for the present of antioxidant and phenolic compound in the leaves and seeds of Leucaena Leucocephala. Further analysis using HPLC, both seed and leaf sample shows for the presence of the same compounds, identified as apigenin, caffeic acid, formic acid, isorhamnetin, keampferol, luteolin and quercetin, but by comparing the peak, can be concluded that the compounds in seed are higher than the compounds in leaf.

Hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose isolated from waste seeds of Leucaena leucocephala for glucose production

The waste seeds of Leucaena leucocephala (LLS) used in this study were unused residues obtained after oil and polysaccharides extraction. The microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was isolated from LLS by acid treatment. MCC produced was, then, further converted to glucose by using sulphuric acid at 121 °C by varying the acid concentration and reaction time. The sugar composition was analyzed by using the phenol-sulfuric acid method and pre-column derivatization HPLC technique. The yield of glucose ranging from 70–85% could be obtained from MCC hydrolyzates, depending on the hydrolysis factors, which corresponding to around 57-75% of the percentage conversion of MCC to glucose.Cellulose isolated from LLS was, therefore, potentially suitable to be utilized in liquid biofuels and other value-added chemicals such as bioethanol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF), and levulinic acid.

Physiological Quality in Leucaena leucocephala Seeds Conditioned with Potassium Nitrate Submitted to Saline and Water Stresses

Leucaena leucocephala is a species that occurs in semi-arid regions capable of developing physiological and biochemical strategies under adverse environmental situations, such as saline soils and water deficiency. Even so, there are still losses in germination and initial development of plants, mainly due to abiotic stress effects, making it necessary to implement alternatives which are able to diminish the impact on the seeds with the use of potassium nitrate. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological quality in L. leucocephala seeds conditioned in potassium nitrate solution and subjected to saline and water stresses. After scarification, the unconditioned leucine seeds were separated and identified, and the conditioners were immersed in the 1.0 Mmol/L solution of potassium nitrate for 24 hours. The treatments were NaCl: 0; 30; 60; 90; 120 and 150 Mmol/L and the water potential: 0, 0; -0.2; -0.4; -0.6, and -0.8 MPa. The seeds were distributed over two Germitest® sheets, moistened with distilled water 2.5 times the dry weight and incubated in a B.O.D. at 25°C for 10 days. Then, the germination speed index, seedling length and seedling mass were measured for the normal seedlings. Eleven treatments with four replicates of 50 seeds were used. The design was completely randomized, and the statistical analyzes were performed in SAS. The use of potassium nitrate (KNO3) contributed to maintaining the physiological quality of L. leucochephala seeds under conditions of saline stress and water restriction.

Optimization of oil extraction from Leucaena leucocephala seed as an alternative low-grade feedstock for biodiesel production

Optimization of oil extraction from Leucaena leucocephala seeds (LLS) using solvent method was studied. 2k factorial technique was employed for optimization of extraction process variables, which include particle size, extraction temperature, extraction time and solvent/solid ratio. Good agreements were achieved between the predicted and experimental values of oil extraction yield $$\left( {{\text{R}}^{2} = 0.9974\,{\text{and}}\,{\text{Adj-R}}^{2} = 0.9922} \right)$$ . Optimization results showed that maximum oil extraction efficiency was achieved under the optimized factor combination of ≤ 0.6 mm particle size, 50 °C extraction temperature, 2 h extraction time and 10:1 v/w solvent/solid ratio.

When a seed-feeding beetle is a predator and also increases the speed of seed germination: an intriguing interaction with an invasive plant

Bruchine beetles are usually considered seed predators, particularly because these beetles consume the seed embryo and kill the seeds. Previous studies suggest that under certain conditions, these insects do not kill the embryo. In this study, we asked whether the germination speed of seeds of the invasive tree Leucaena leucocephala is enhanced by the seed-feeding beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae). We also tested whether differences in germination between attacked and intact seeds could be related to seed size. We finally examined whether the number of larvae per seed affected seed germination and whether seedling emergence patterns were similar to those exhibited by germination. We found that compared to intact seeds, proportionally faster germination occurred in seeds attacked by A. macrophthalmus in 14 of the 26 populations studied. In addition, those populations that presented greater germination speed in the attacked seeds during the evaluation time also had the largest seeds. Similar to the germination experiments, seedling emergence was faster in the attacked compared to the intact seeds. Our findings show that the germination speed of L. leucocephala seeds can be enhanced by A. macrophthalmus. However, this effect is much more intense when a single larva develops inside the seed. In evolutionary terms, it is possible that the selection for larger seeds is favoured, increasing the speed of seed germination and contributing to predator satiation at the seed level. However, this effect could be minimized by the production of many seeds by L. leucocephala plants, causing predator satiation by “masting” effects, which would favour the selection for higher seed numbers.