Plant-soil feedback and plant invasion: effect of soil conditioning on native and invasive Prosopis species using the plant functional trait approach

Introduction

Invasive species have been identified as a major threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide due to their superiority in spread and growth. Such superiority is explained by the invasional meltdown phenomena, which suggests that invasive species facilitate the establishment of more invasive species rather than native species by modifying the plant-soil feedback (PSF).

Methods

We conducted a two-phase plant-soil feedback experiment using the native Prosopis cineraria and the invasive Prosopis juliflora in Oman. Firstly, we conditioned the soil by planting seedlings of native species, invasive species, native and invasive species "mixed", and unconditioned soil served as a control. Secondly, we tested the feedback of these four conditioned soil on the two species separately by measuring the productivity (total biomass) and the performance in the form of plant functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen content (Nmass), leaf carbon content (Cmass) and specific root length (SRL) of native and invasive species as well as the nutrient availability in soil (soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN)).

Results and discussion

We found that the native species produced more biomass, best performance, and higher SOC and STN when grown in soil conditioned by native species, additionally, it gave lower biomass, reduced performance, and lower SOC and STN when grown in the soil conditioned by invasive and mixed species. These results suggest negative PSF for native species and positive PSF for invasive species in the soil conditioned by invasive species, which can be considered as red flag concerning the restoration of P. cineraria as an important native species in Oman, as such positive PSF of the invasive species P. juliflora will inhibit the regeneration of P. cineraria.

Silvicultural Practices for Diversity Conservation and Invasive Species Suppression in Forest Ecosystems of the Bundala National Park, Sri Lanka

Forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka are under pressure from intensive human activity and climate change. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to autochthonous species and ecosystems. In Bundala National Park of Sri Lanka, there are efforts to control and limit the spreading of unwanted invasive Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and Opuntia dillenii (Ker-Gawl.) Haw., which poses a significant risk to natural ecosystem conservation. Nine different treatment variants (four replications) were used to test which management approach provides the control of Prosopis juliflora. This research is based on nine repeated measurements from 2017 to 2021 on 36 permanent research plots (each 625 m2) with 27 observed plant species and a total of 90,651 recorded plant individuals. The results confirmed that the dynamics of species richness, heterogeneity, and evenness showed significant differences between treatments during the five years of dynamics. The lowest species diversity was found in the control variant, followed by treatments based on the hard pruning and thinning of Prosopis juliflora trees. In contrast, strategies emphasizing the complete uprooting of Prosopis juliflora trees, replanting, and support of the natural regeneration of native species showed high species diversity and a high overall number of plant species. Generally, treatments had a significant effect on species diversity and the number of individuals of Prosopis juliflora, while changes in the overall number of plant species were more affected by time and succession. Silvicultural treatments including pruning, uprooting, and thinning have proven to be essential tools for nature conservation across various sites, aimed at enhancing habitat diversity in the face of ongoing climate change.

Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.induces apoptotic-like programmed cell death in Leishmania donovani via over production of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and ATP depletion

Background

Leishmaniasis is endemic in more than 60 countries with a large number of mortality cases. The current chemotherapy approaches employed for managing the leishmaniasis is associated with severe side effects. Therefore there is a need to develop effective, safe, and cost affordable antileishmanial drug candidates.

Purpose of the study

This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antileishmanial activity of a Prosopis juliflora leaves extract (PJLME) towards the Leishmania donovani parasites.

Material and methods

PJLME was evaluated for its cytotoxicity against the L. donovani parasites and the mouse macrophage cells. Further, various in vitro experiments like ROS assay, mitochondrial membrane potential assay, annexin v assay, cell cycle assay, and caspase 3/7 assay were performed to understand the mechanism of cell death. Phytochemical profiling of P. juliflorawas performed by utilizing HPTLC and GC-MS analysis.

Results

PJLME demonstrated antileishmanial activity at a remarkably lower concentration of IC50 6.5 μg/mL. Of note, interestingly PJLME IC50 concentration has not demonstrated cytotoxicity against the mouse macrophage cell line. Performed experiments confirmed ROS inducing potential of PJLME which adversely affected the mitochondrial membrane potential and caused loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and thereby ATP levels. PJLME also arrested the cell cycle and induced apoptotic-like cell death in PJLME treated L. donovani promastigotes.

Conclusion

The results clearly established the significance of Prosopis juliflora as an effective and safe natural resource for managing visceral leishmaniasis. The findings can be used as a baseline reference for developing novel leads/formulations for effective management of visceral leishmaniasis.

Enhancement of biosorption capability of imidazolium-based ionic liquid-treated Prosopis juliflora for the removal of malachite green from wastewater

Due to its toxicity effect, treating toxic pollutants discharged from textile effluent is challenging for living beings. In the present study, the comparative biosorption potential of imidazolium-based ionic liquid-treated Prosopis juliflora (ILPJS) and untreated P. juliflora (PJS) was investigated for the removal of toxic pollutant, malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution. The textural, surface morphology, and functional analysis of ILPJS and PJS were examined using BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) analysis, SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) analysis, and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis. Textural property (BET surface area) and surface morphology containing irregular heterogeneous surface for ILPJS were significantly improved than PJS, thereby facilitating significant biosorption of MG. Based on the conventional optimization studies, the essential biosorption parameters for the removal of MG using ILPJS were found to be: initial pH (9.0), contact time (30 min), and biosorbent dosage (0.2 g). The maximum biosorption capacity of PJS and ILPJS were obtained to be 6.91 and 13.64 mg/g at 40 °C, respectively. The spontaneous and endothermic biosorption of MG was confirmed by thermodynamic analysis. The regeneration study indicated the greater reusability of ILPJS and PJS for MG removal till the fifth cycle. Based on the previous literature, this is the first report comparing the removal of toxic pollutant MG using ILPJS and PJS.

Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC phytochemicals induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation signaling pathways, EMT, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and stem cell markers in melanoma cell lines

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Prosopis juliflora (Sw.), DC is a xerophytic plant species that extensively grow in Asia, Africa, Australia, and Brazil. From ancient time P. juliflora is being utilized in various folk remedies for example in wound healing, fever, inflammation, measles, excrescences, diarrhea and dysentery. Traditionally, gum, paste, and smoke obtained from the leaves and pods are applied for anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial purposes.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our previous studies have demonstrated the promising potential of Prosopis Juliflora leaves methanol extract (PJLME) against breast cancer, and suggested its possible integration as a complementary medicine for the effective management of breast cancer. However, evidence against how PJLME mechanistically target the cancer proliferative pathways and other targets is poorly understood. The basic aim of the present study was to understand the anti-melanoma potential of PJLME against B16f10 cells with possible mechanisms of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MTT assay was used to determine cell viability. Wound and transwell migration assay was performed to check migration potential of cells after PJLME treatment, while clonogenic assay was carried out to understand its colony inhibition actvity. Flow cytometry was used to perform annexin V/PI assay (apoptosis assay), ROS assay, cell cycle analysis. In-vitro angiogenesis assay was performed to check formation of capillary like vascular structure after PJLME treatment. Apoptotic genes, signaling pathways markers, EMT markers and stem cell markers were determined by western blotting. In-vivo BALB/C mice xenograft model study was performed to check the effect of PJLME on in-vivo melanoma tumor growth.

RESULTS

The experimental outcome of the present study has clearly demonstrated the inhibition of growth, migration, invasion, colony formation and apoptosis inducing potential of PJLME against mouse melanoma cancer cells. Treatment of B16F10 melanoma cells with PJLME resulted in arrest of cell cycle at G0/G1 phase. Annexin V-FITC/PI assay confirmed the apoptosis inducing potential of PJLME in B16F10 and A375 melanoma cells. Furthermore, Western blot experiments confirmed that the treatment of PJLME downregulates the expression of anti-apoptotic gene like Bcl2 and increase the expression profile of pro-apoptotic genes like Bax, Bad, and Bak in B16F10 melanoma cells. HUVEC (Human umbilical vein endothelial cells) tube formation assay clearly demonstrated the anti-angiogenic potential of PJLME. The study also revealed that PJLME has potential to inhibit the Akt and Erk signaling pathways which are participating in cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion etc. The outcome of qRT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis clearly unveiled that PJLME treatment leads to downregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as stem cell markers. Finally, the in-vivo animal xenograft model study also revealed the anti-melanoma potential of PJLME by significantly inhibiting the B16F10 melanoma tumor growth in BALB/c mice model. The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of PJLME showed the presence of variety of bioactive molecules associated with anticancer effects.

CONCLUSION

The outcome of the present investigation clearly demonstrated the anti-melanoma potential of PJLME against B16f10 melanoma cells. PJLME can be explored as an adjuvant or complementary therapy against melanoma cancer, however further studies are required to understand the clinical efficacy of PJLME. Nevertheless, it can be further explored as a promising resource for identification of novel anticancer candidate drug.

Competitive and cooperative adsorption analysis for dye removal from multicomponent system using Prosopis juliflora activated carbon

In this study, performance evaluation of two adsorbents synthesized using invasive weed, i.e., Prosopis juliflora, was chemically activated using hydrochloric acid (HPJ) and sodium hydroxide (NPJ). The synthesized adsorbents HPJ and NPJ were subjected to SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, and porosimetry analysis for characterization and applied for adsorptive removal of rhodamine B (RB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes from monocomponent (MO/RB) and multicomponent (MO + RB) systems in batch mode. Meanwhile, the effect of operational parameters such as contact time, HPJ and NPJ dosage, MO/RB concentration, and [Formula: see text] on sorption of MO/RB dyes was investigated. The adsorption data was modeled through various kinetic and equilibrium models. On the other hand, the multi-dye sorption system was modeled using Langmuir competitive isotherm. Furthermore, the effect of presence of one dye on sorption of other and vice versa, i.e., competitive (antagonistic) and cooperative (synergistic) nature of sorption process, was investigated. From the results, it was observed that pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models best fit the adsorption kinetic and equilibrium data for sorption of MO and RB dyes using both HPJ and NPJ as adsorbents. Langmuir's maximum sorption ability (qm) of HPJ for sorption of MO and RB dyes was observed to be 12.77 mg/g and 9.95 mg/g, respectively, from the monocomponent system. On the other hand, qm of NPJ for sorption of MO and RB dyes was observed to be 10.51 mg/g and 8.69 mg/g, respectively. Langmuir's sorption ability (qm) was slightly higher in the MO + RB mixture in contrast to MO/RB. As a result, the sorption of MO/RB dyes from the MO + RB system showed synergistic nature. In conclusion, the HPJ and NPJ could be effectively used as sorbents for sorption of dyes from effluents.

Production, optimization, and characterization of Ethiopian variant Prosopis juliflora based biodiesel

Considering the need for biodiesel production from non-edible oil sources and taking into account the fact that Prosopis Juliflora (JF) is identified as a highly invasive species in Ethiopia, this research focuses on biodiesel production from a possible and promising alternative feedstock. The objective of this study is to analyze Ethiopian variant Juliflora based biodiesel (JFB) production through transesterification, carry out optimization by exploring the effects of various process parameters and characterization of functional groups (with GC-MS,FT-IR and NMR) including rheological behavior, not yet been reported earlier. As per ASTM protocol testing, the methyl ester of Juliflora has been found to have the following main fuel properties: kinematic viscosity (mm²/s) 3.395, cetane number 52.9, acid number (mgkoh/g) 0.28, density (gm/ml) 0.880, calorific value (MJ/kg) 44.4, methyl ester content (%) 99.8, and flashpoint (°C) 128, copper strip corrosion value 1a,%FFA (free fatty acid) 0.14. When compared with those of diesel, the viscosity, density, and flash point of JFB are seen to be higher than those of diesel, although it has a similar calorific value but more importantly higher than most of the other biodiesels. Based on an assessment using response surface methodology, methanol concentration together with catalyst loading, temperature, and reaction time are determined to be the most important influencing process parameters. The best molar ratio for methanolysis was observed to be 6:1 with a catalyst concentration of 0.5 wt% at 55 °C for 60 min for biodiesel yield at 65%. The JFB maximum yield of 130 ml at 70 min and the minimum yield of 40 ml at 10 min demonstrate that as mixing time increases, JFB yield tend to increase up to a certain time limit. The maximum raw oil yield rom crushed seed with hexane solvent was observed to be 480 ml within 3 days from 2.5 kg of crushed seed. The Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR) revealed the presence of all desired functional groups necessary for biodiesel on OH radicals at wave numbers of 3314.40 cm^-1, Aliphatic methyl C-H at 2942.48 cm^{- 1} with a functional group (CH-3-,-CH2-), and methylene C-H at 2832.59 cm^-1. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) study confirmed the higher ester content present in the JFB with a higher unsaturation level of 68.81%. The fatty acid, oleic acid has a lower saturation level of 4.5%, while palmitic acid has a lower threshold level of 2.08%. The Rheometer test showed that shear stress and viscosity reduced with increasing temperature within the range of biodiesel requirements, and the Newtonian behavior was confirmed. The JFB has a fairly high viscosity and shear rate at low temperatures. The ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) study established that JFB has a necessary ingredient; and aliphatic resonances occur in the chemical shift region of 1.5-3.0 ppm. Significant regions indicate protons bound to heteroaromatics, aldehydes, as shown by ¹³C NMR spectrum. The findings from the FT-IR, GC-MS, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR are in agreement thus validating the presence of numerous functional groups in JFB as such. Since JFB possesses the requisite biodiesel fuel attributes, Prosopis Juliflora need to be pursued as a promising biodiesel feedstock in Ethiopia for alleviating the burden of imported fuels while also addressing difficulties with emissions released by the combustion of fossil fuels.

Four Invasive Plant Species in Southwest Saudi Arabia Have Variable Effects on Soil Dynamics

Predicting the direction and magnitude of change in soil dynamics caused by invasive plant species has proven to be difficult because these changes are often reported to be species- and habitat-specific. This study was conducted to determine changes in three soil properties, eight soil ions, and seven soil microelements under established stands of four invasive plants, Prosopis juliflora, Ipomoea carnea, Leucaena leucocephala, and Opuntia ficus-indica. Soil properties, ions, and microelements were measured in sites invaded by these four species in southwest Saudi Arabia, and these values were compared to the results for the same 18 parameters from adjacent sites with native vegetation. Because this study was conducted in an arid ecosystem, we predict that these four invasive plants will significantly alter the soil properties, ions, and microelements in the areas they invaded. While the soils of sites with the four invasive plant species generally had higher values for soil properties and ions compared to sites with native vegetation, in most instances these differences were not statistically significant. However, the soils within sites invaded by I. carnea, L. leucocephala, and P. juliflora had statistically significant differences for some soil parameters. For sites invaded by O. puntia ficus-indica, no soil properties, ions, or microelements were significantly different compared to adjacent sites with native vegetation. Sites invaded by the four plant species generally exhibited differences in the 11 soil properties, but in no instance were these differences statistically significant. All three soil properties and one soil ion (Ca) were significantly different across the four stands of native vegetation. For the seven soil microelements, significantly different values were detected for Co and Ni, but only among stands of the four invasive plant species. These results indicate that the four invasive plant species altered soil properties, ions, and microelements, but for most of the parameters we assessed, not significantly. Our results do not support our initial prediction, but are in general agreement with previous published findings, which indicate that the effects of invasive plants on soil dynamics vary idiosyncratically among invasive species and among invaded habitats.

Effects of prosopis juliflora on plant diversity on rangeland in Shilabo District, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Shilabo District of Somali Regional State in Ethiopia is economically important for livestock production. The indigenous pasturelands are increasingly being invaded by Prosopis juliflora, thereby threatening their livestock production capacity. However, the ecological impact of Prosopis' invasion has yet to be investigated. This study was conducted to examine the effects of Prosopis juliflora on plant species abundance, diversity, and occurrence. Vegetation samples were collected from three 20-m by 20-m sub-plots nested within 100-m by 100-m main plots that were purposefully selected in target study sites and replicated three times in both invaded and uninvaded areas. The study recorded 44 plant species, of which thirteen species occurred in both invaded and uninvaded areas, 13 species in invaded areas and 24 in uninvaded areas. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26, and an independent t-test was used to determine the statistical significance difference between invaded and uninvaded areas in terms of number, density, important value index, diversity, abundance, evenness, and richness of plant species. These plant parameters were recorded in invaded and uninvaded areas with species numbers of 678.33 and 1763, densities of 226.00 and 366.98/ha, abundances of 254.04 and 409.45, important value indexes of 15.00 and 9.68, Shannon diversity of 1.56 and 3.40, evenness of 0.52, and 0.99, and richness of 1.30 and 1.35, respectively. The uninvaded area had a significantly higher species diversity index (3.40) than the invaded area (1.56; P 0.00). Similarly, the number of plant species, density, abundance, important value index, species evenness, and richness were significantly higher in uninvaded areas than invaded areas (p < 0.000).

Thermal decomposition kinetics of Prosopis juliflora charcoal briquette using thermogravimetric analysis

In the current study, the energy potential of Prosopis juliflora charcoal briquette sample was assessed using thermogravimetric analysis at heating rates 10 °C/min, 15 °C/min, and 20 °C/min under nitrogen atmosphere. The thermogravimetric study showed that the thermal devolatilization of the briquette sample occurred in four principal stages. The major degradation of the sample occurred in the fourth stage indicating that the significant mass loss occurred due to the fixed carbon that was abundant in the briquette sample. The activation energy was determined by employing five different model-free methods. The average activation energy attained for the briquette sample by Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose method, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method, Tang method, Starink method, and Friedman method was 83.55 kJ/mol, 91.60 kJ/mol, 79.91 kJ/mol, 80.06 kJ/mol, and 96.74 kJ/mol, respectively. The frequency factor obtained in the study ranged between 1.42 × 10³ and 6.23 × 10⁷ min^-1. The contracting sphere model was found to be closely related to the reaction model obtained for charcoal briquettes. The lower activation energy and frequency factor indicated rapid thermal degradation of the charcoal briquettes. The estimated thermodynamic parameters indicated that the thermal degradation process was endothermic in nature.

Dynamics of land use/land cover: implications on environmental resources and human livelihoods in the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia

Quantifying the recent LULC changes and associated impacts on pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihood systems is important since the effects of LULC changes on environmental resources and human livelihood are not fully understood in our study area. This paper analysed the trend of land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics and its implications on natural resources and human livelihood in the Middle Awash Valley, Central Ethiopian Rift Valley. For the purpose, Landsat imageries of thematic mapper (1987), enhanced thematic mapper (2002) and operational land imager and thermal infrared sensor (2016) were employed and analysed using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) software and techniques, and qualitative data analysis had been performed as well. The results showed that cultivated land expanded at a rate of 2.6% year^-1, whereas forestland and grassland shrunk at a rate of 1.2% year^-1 and 2.4% year^-1, respectively. The invasive Prosopis juliflora has been expanded from 3.7% in 1987 to 37.9% in 2016 at a rate of 1.2% year^-1. The introduction of both small- and large-scale commercial irrigation farming and the implementation of villagization programme focused on transforming pastoralists into sedentary lifestyles. Consequently, irrigation farming, launching of villagization, climate variability as in series of droughts, construction of water dam and the rapid expansion of Prosopis juliflora were the major drivers of LULC changes in the study area. Although we found some positive developments such as improvement on infrastructural and social services (e.g. school and domestic water supply), income diversification and ecological benefits from Prosopis juliflora (e.g. saline soil treatment, carbon sequestration and soil erosion control), there were a range of negative impacts resulting from LULC changes in the study area. LULC changes reduced quality of rangeland resources as the ecologically and economically valuable indigenous tree and grass varieties were significantly degraded. As a result, the traditional pastoral livelihood system has been much vulnerable with the LULC dynamism of the study area. Furthermore, the implementation of the villagization programme has brought socioeconomic impacts on the community and challenges on the ecology, e.g. changing productive rangeland to irrigation crop farms. Our research results, thus, suggest the urgent need for relevant policy interventions in support of the pastoral livelihoods and landscapes with the modification in the implementation of villagization as well as irrigation farming programmes and its better management and controlling Prosopis juliflora expansion in the study area.

Effect of Prosopis Juliflora Thorns on Mechanical Properties of Plastic Waste Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Plastics are unavoidable at this times, putting our planet in danger. The Prosopis juliflora (PJ) thorns are collected, processed, and powdered. The mechanical characteristics of these powders are examined when combined with polymer composites. Pores are the main cause of moisture input, hence using powder filler materials reduces the number of pores in the composite, increasing water resistance. The composites are made by altering three parameters: waste plastic content, filler powder composition, and chemical treatment. It was discovered that the integration of thorn powder increased the wear resistance. The composites were tested in accordance with ASTM standards, and the results were optimized. Based on the results, composite specimens were created and tested for validation.

Ecological Networks in Urban Forest Fragments Reveal Species Associations between Native and Invasive Plant Communities

Forest fragments are characteristic features of many megacities that have survived the urbanisation process and are often represented by unique assemblages of flora and fauna. Such woodlands are representations of nature in the city-often dominated by non-native and invasive species that coexist with resilient native congeners and purposefully introduced flora. These forest fragments also provide significant ecosystem services to urban society and therefore, understanding their compositional patterns is of considerable importance for conservation and management. In this work, we use a complex network approach to investigate species assemblages across six distinct urban forest fragments in the South Delhi Ridge area of the National Capital Territory, India. We generate bipartite ecological networks using conventional vegetation sampling datasets, followed by network partitioning to identify multiple cliques across the six forest fragments. Our results show that urban woodlands primarily form invasive-native associations, and that major invasive species, such as Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara exclude each other while forming cliques. Our findings have implications for the conservation of these urban forests and highlight the importance of using network approaches in vegetation analysis.

Adsorptive decontamination of doxycycline hydrochloride via Prosopis juliflora activated carbon: Parameter optimization and disposal study

This study deals with the removal of doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX) antibiotic, from aqueous environment by using Prosopis juliflora activated carbon (PJAC). PJAC was synthesized by chemical activation and pyrolysis of Prosopis juliflora. It was characterized by employing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. The specific surface area, pore volume, and pore diameter were evaluated as 320.45 m² /g, 0.176 cm³ /g, and 2.65 nm, respectively. Different functional groups (O-H, C-O, C=C, C-N, and C-C) present on PJAC promoted the adsorption of DOX. The influence of various adsorption parameters suggested by central composite design (CCD) model was determined using response surface methodology (RSM), and interactive effects of these were optimized. The thermodynamic and kinetic studies performed at optimized conditions, exhibited that adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The experimental data were well described with Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson, and Freundlich isotherm models while kinetics data were well described by pseudo second order. The excellent interactions between the PJAC and DOX resulted maximum adsorption capacity as 57.11 mg/g. The adsorption mechanisms was dominated by π - π interactions and hydrogen bonding. Moreover, almost complete encapsulation of DOX was achieved by stabilization of exhausted PJAC. PRACTITIONER POINTS: A wild harmful plant Prosopis juliflora was used to synthesize a low-cost and eco-friendly bio-sorbent PJAC. Adsorptive ability of PJAC was quantified for adsorption of DOX antibiotic from its aqueous solution. DOX uptake on PJAC was mainly governed by л-л EDA interactions and hydrogen bonding.

Identification of a vicilin-like major allergen from Prosopis juliflora exhibiting cross- reactivity with legume food allergens

BACKGROUND

Prosopis juliflora is a clinically relevant allergic sensitizer worldwide and shares cross-reactivity with allergens from several tree pollen and food. The present study aims to purify and immunobiochemically characterize a major allergen from Prosopis pollen. The allergen was further investigated for its cross-reactivity with legume allergens.

METHODS

Prosopis extract was fractionated by Q Sepharose and Superdex 75 gel filtration column to purify the allergen. Specific IgE against purified protein was estimated via ELISA and immunoblot. The protein was subjected to mass spectrometric analysis. Glycan characterization was performed by Schiff staining and lectin binding assay followed by deglycosylation studies. The functional activity of the purified protein was evaluated by the basophil activation test. Cross-reactivity was assessed by inhibition studies with legume extracts.

RESULTS

A 35 kDa protein was purified and showed 75% IgE reactivity with the patients' sera by ELISA and immunoblot. Glycan characterization of protein demonstrated the presence of terminal glucose and mannose residues. A reduction of 40% and 27% in IgE binding was observed upon chemical and enzymatic deglycosylation of the protein, respectively. The glycoprotein allergen upregulates the expression of CD203c on basophils which was significantly reduced upon deglycosylation, signifying its biological ability to activate the effector cells. The identified protein shared significant homology with Lup an 1 from the lupine bean. Immunoblot inhibition studies of the purified allergen with legume extracts underlined high cross-reactive potential. Complete inhibition was observed with peanut and common bean, while up to 70% inhibition was demonstrated with soy, black gram, chickpea, and lima bean.

CONCLUSION

A 35 kDa vicilin-like major allergen was isolated from P. juliflora. The protein possesses glycan moieties crucial for IgE binding and basophil activation. Furthermore, the purified protein shows homology with Lup an 1 and exhibits cross-reactivity with common edible legume proteins.

Simultaneous removal of antibiotic and nutrients via Prosopis juliflora activated carbon column: Performance evaluation, effect of operational parameters and breakthrough modeling

In this study, the behavior of mono-component (metronidazole/phosphate/nitrate, MET/PO₄^3-/NO₃^-) and multi-component (MET+PO₄^3-+NO₃^-) adsorption in fixed-bed adsorption column was investigated using Prosopis juliflora activated carbon (PJAC). The influence of column operating parameters such as bed depth (H: 5-15 cm), influent flow rate (Q: 0.5-2 L/h) and adsorbate concentration (C_o: 25-100 mg/L) on breakthrough curves were evaluated. The experimental data was correlated with breakthrough models viz. Thomas, Adams-Bohart, Yoon-Nelson and bed depth service time (BDST) models. The results showed that the Thomas model fitted the experimental data better than other models in predicting the breakthrough characteristics for the removal of MET, PO₄^3- and NO₃^- by PJAC. The maximum adsorption capacity found by Thomas model was 9.70, 8.21 and 5.57 mg/g for MET, PO₄^3- and NO₃^-, respectively. In multi-component systems, antagonistic behavior in sorption of MET, PO₄^3- and NO₃^- was observed and as a result, adsorption capacity was 1.2-1.5 folds lesser than that observed in mono-component system. In conclusion, results of the present study indicate that the PJAC can be successfully employed for the removal of MET, PO₄^3- and NO₃^- using fixed-bed adsorption column; however, the column design for multi-component mixture should be based on rapid breakthrough sorbate.

Co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (VS3) and Pichia stipitis (NCIM 3498) enhances bioethanol yield from concentrated Prosopis juliflora hydrolysate

Biphasic acid hydrolysates and enzymatic hydrolysates from carbohydrate-rich Prosopis juliflora, an invasive perennial deciduous shrub of semi-arid regions, were used for bioethanol production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis were used for fermentation of hexoses and pentoses. P. juliflora acid hydrolysate with an initial sugar concentration of 18.70 ± 0.16 g/L was concentrated to 33.59 ± 0.52 g/L by vacuum distillation. The concentrated hydrolysate was pretreated and fermented by mono- and co-culture methods either singly or in combination with enzyme hydrolysate and ethanol yields were compared. Monoculture with S. cerevisiae (VS3) and S. cerevisiae (NCIM3455) yielded maximum ethanol of 36.6 ± 1.83 g/L and 37.1 ± 1.86 g/L with a fermentation efficiency of 83.94 ± 4.20% and 84.20 ± 4.21%, respectively, after 36 h of fermentation. The ethanol yield obtained was 0.428 ± 0.02 g/g substrate and 0.429 ± 0.02 g/g substrate with a productivity of 1.017 ± 0.051 g/L/hand 1.031 ± 0.052 g/L/h, respectively. P. stipitis (NCIM3498) yielded maximum ethanol of 24 g/L with ethanol yield of 0.455 ± 0.02 g/g substrate and a productivity of 1.004 ± 0.050 g/L/h after 24 h of fermentation. With concentrated acid hydrolysate as substrate, S. cerevisiae (VS3) produced ethanol of 8.52 ± 0.43 g/L, whereas S. cerevisiae (NCIM3455) produced 5.96 ± 0.30 g/L of ethanol. P.stipitis (NCIM3498) produced 4.52 ± 0.23 g/L of ethanol by utilizing 14.66 ± 0.87 g/L of sugars. Co-culture with S. cerevisiae (VS3) addition after 18 h of addition of P. stipitis (NCIM3498) to the mixture of concentrated acid hydrolysate and enzyme hydrolysate produced 13.86 ± 0.47 g/L of ethanol with fermentation efficiency, ethanol yield and productivity of 87.54 ± 0.54%, 0.446 ± 2.36 g/g substrate and 0.385 ± 0.014 g/L/h, respectively. Hence, it is concluded that co-culture with S. cerevisiae and P. stipitis is feasible, further scaling up of fermentation of P. juliflora substrate for bioethanol production.

A detailed assessment of pyrolysis kinetics of invasive lignocellulosic biomasses (Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara) by thermogravimetric analysis

Thermogravimetric analysis of two invasive weeds Prosopis juliflora (PJ) and Lantana camara (LC) are carried out by pyrolysis under dynamic conditions (20 to 900 °C) at different heating rates 5, 10, 20 and 40 °C/min. Gross calorific values of PJ and LC are estimated to 18.2 and 18.92 MJ/kg respectively. Activation energy obtained by FRM, M-FRM, KAS, OFW, STR, NL-INT, NL-DIF methods are 157.56, 151.24, 140.86, 143.39, 140.74, 141.19, 157.59 kJ/mol for PJ and 169.98, 167.67, 149.39, 151.51, 149.23, 149.70, 169.98 kJ/mol for LC respectively. Kinetic compensation effects were well fitted with the experimental data, which provided the value of the pre-exponential factor. To identify the appropriate reaction mechanism, the Popescu and Master-plot methods are employed. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) are also determined by NL-INT, NL-DIF, and M-FRM methods. Results of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters confirm the suitability of PJ and LC invasive weeds as potential biomasses for pyrolysis process.

Invasive Alien Plants in Africa and the Potential Emergence of Mosquito-Borne Arboviral Diseases-A Review and Research Outlook

The emergence of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) as linked to land-use changes, especially the growing agricultural intensification and expansion efforts in rural parts of Africa, is of growing health concern. This places an additional burden on health systems as drugs, vaccines, and effective vector-control measures against arboviruses and their vectors remain lacking. An integrated One Health approach holds potential in the control and prevention of arboviruses. Land-use changes favour invasion by invasive alien plants (IAPs) and investigating their impact on mosquito populations may offer a new dimension to our understanding of arbovirus emergence. Of prime importance to understand is how IAPs influence mosquito life-history traits and how this may affect transmission of arboviruses to mammalian hosts, questions that we are exploring in this review. Potential effects of IAPs may be significant, including supporting the proliferation of immature and adult stages of mosquito vectors, providing additional nutrition and suitable microhabitats, and a possible interaction between ingested secondary plant metabolites and arboviruses. We conclude that aspects of vector biology are differentially affected by individual IAPs and that while some plants may have the potential to indirectly increase the risk of transmission of certain arboviruses by their direct interaction with the vectors, the reverse holds for other IAPs. In addition, we highlight priority research areas to improve our understanding of the potential health impacts of IAPs.

Prosopis juliflora leave extracts induce cell death of MCF-7, HepG2, and LS-174T cancer cell lines

Prosopis juliflora (P. juliflora) is a widespread phreatophytic tree, which belongs to the Fabaceae family. The goal of the present study is to investigate the potential anti-cancer effect of P. juliflora leave extracts and to identify its chemical composition. For this purpose, MCF-7 (breast), HepG2 (liver), and LS-174T (colorectal) cancer cell lines were cultivated and incubated with various concentrations of P. juliflora leave extracts, and its impact on cell viability, proliferation, and cell cycle stages was investigated. P. juliflora leave extracts induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against all tested cancer cell lines. The calculated IC₅₀ was 18.17, 33.1 and 41.9 μg/ml for MCF-7, HePG2 and LS-174T, respectively. Detailed analysis revealed that the cytotoxic action of P. juliflora extracts was mainly via necrosis but not apoptosis. Moreover, DNA content flow cytometry analysis showed cell-specific anti-proliferative action and cell cycle stages arrest. In order to identify the anti-cancer constituents of P. juliflora, the ethyl extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major constituents identified in the ethyl extracts of P. juliflora leaves were hydroxymethyl-pyridine, nicotinamide, adenine, and poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). In conclusion, P. juliflora ethyl acetate extracts have a potential anti-cancer effect against breast adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal adenocarcinoma, and is enriched with anti-cancer constituents. See also Figure 1(Fig. 1).

Peroxidases from an invasive Mesquite species for management and restoration of fertility of phenolic-contaminated soil

Phenolics drive the global economy, but they also pose threats to soil health and plant growth. Enzymes like peroxidase have the potential to remove the phenolic contaminants from the wastewater; however, their role in restoring soil health and improving plant growth has not yet been ascertained. We fractionated efficient peroxidases (MPx) from leaves of an invasive species of Mesquite, Prosopis juliflora, and demonstrated its superiority over horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in remediating phenol, 3-chlorophenol (3-CP), and a mixture of chlorophenols (CP-M), from contaminated soil. MPx removes phenolics over a broader range of pH (2.0-9.0) as compared with HRP (pH: 7.0-8.0). In soil, replacing H₂O₂ with CaO₂ further increases the phenolic removal efficiency of MPx (≥90% of phenol, ≥ 70% of 3-CP, and ≥90% of CP-M). MPx maintains ~4-fold higher phenolic removal efficiency than purified HRP even in soils with extremely high contaminant concentration (2 g phenolics/kg of soil), which is desirable for environmental applications of enzymes for remediation. MPx treatment restores soil biological processes as evident by key enzymes of soil fertility viz. Acid- and alkaline-phosphatases, urease, and soil dehydrogenase, and improves potential biochemical fertility index of soil contaminated with phenolics. MPx treatment also assists the Vigna mungo test plant to overcome toxicant stress and grow healthy in contaminated soils. Optimization of MPx for application in the field environment would help both in the restoration of phenolic-contaminated soils and the management of invasive Mesquite.

Fenalan Yellow G adsorption using surface-functionalized green nanoceria: An insight into mechanism and statistical modelling

In the present study, green nanoceria (gNC) was synthesized and surface-functionalized (sf-gNC) with amine moieties through chemical means and used as an adsorbent for the removal of Fenalan Yellow G (FYG) from the aqueous solution. Prior to the adsorption process, the optical, structural and textural characteristics of the nanomaterial ensured the presence of highly crystalline and monodisperse nanoceria with the functionalized amine group on their surfaces. The effects of the independent variables of the FYG removal process including initial solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial adsorbate concentration and time were examined for the percent removal. The maximum removal of 93.62% was observed at the pH of 2.0 with the adsorbent dose of 0.1 g for 10 mg/L of FYG dye concentration in 210 min. The equilibrium studies revealed that the maximum adsorption capacity was 25.58 mg/g by monolayer Langmuir model at 303 K and the chemical kinetics results followed pseudo-second-order and chemisorptive Elovich model. The magnitude of the energy variables from the thermodynamic analysis exposed the feasibility and spontaneity of endothermic adsorption. Furthermore, the interactive effects of the screened process variables investigated and optimized through response surface methodology (RSM). Besides, the FYG adsorption behavior was well predicted using artificial neural network (ANN) model with good accuracy (Mean Squared Error < 0.5; Coefficient of determination > 0.99) using 3 input layers, 3 hidden layers and 1 output layer. The study proposed the intrinsic mechanism of adsorbent-adsorbate interactions as either of electrostatic interaction or through surface complexation. Moreover, the prepared amine-modified nanoceria was found to have a minimum of 75% regenerative potential for five adsorption-desorption cycles.

Prosopis juliflora as a new cosmetic ingredient: Development and clinical evaluation of a bioactive moisturizing and anti-aging innovative solid core

Prosopis juliflora is an invasive plant distributed throughout the world and presents metabolites of interest for cosmetology. The aim of this work was to develop a new polysaccharide-based ingredient from P. juliflora and analyze its application in a solid core formulation that upon contact with water instantly forms a gel to improve moisturizing and anti-aging skin properties. Purified extracts by gel chromatography were characterized by NMR and LC-DAD-MS-MS. The in vitro and in vivo safety, antioxidant activity, formulation development and clinical evaluation were performed. The extract was characterized as containing an α-glucan and phenolics. It was non-cytotoxic, non-phototoxic and no skin reactions were observed in vivo. Antioxidant activity were present through different mechanisms. Clinical evaluation reinforced the potential of P. juliflora in skin hydration and microrelief improvement. This innovative form proved to be a prototype of a new product and the first study of an α-glucan as a cosmetic ingredient.

Bioethanol production from woody stem Prosopis juliflora using thermo tolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus and its kinetics studies

In the present study, Kluyveromyces marxianus was utilized to study the batch fermentation kinetics of biomass production, substrate utilization and bioethanol production from woody stem Prosopis juliflora. The pre-treated substrate was subjected to Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) under optimised conditions of pH (4.9), temperature (41 °C), substrate concentration 5% (w/v), inoculum concentration 3% (v/v) and the maximum concentration of bioethanol was found to be 21.45 g/l. The experimental data thus obtained from cell growth, substrate utilization and product formation are employed in the determination of kinetic parameters. Biological models such as Logistic model, Hinshelwood model were used for microbial growth and substrate utilization kinetics respectively. In case of product kinetics, Leudking-Piret plot, Gompertz model and Modified Gompertz model were utilised. Based on these models, kinetic parameters like maximum specific growth rate (µm), saturation constant (Ks), growth associated (α), non-growth associated (β) and yield coefficients (Y_X/S, Y_P/S) were estimated.

Valorisation of the invasive species, Prosopis juliflora, using the carboxylate platform to produce volatile fatty acids

Biomass derived from low-value, high-volume invasive plant species is an attractive, alternative feedstock to produce biofuels and biochemicals. This study aimed to use the carboxylate platform to valorize the invasive leguminous shrub, Prosopis juliflora (Mesquite), by utilizing in vitro rumen fermentations without chemical pretreatment to produce volatile fatty acids. The three fractions of the mesquite: leaves (ProL), stems (ProS) and branches (ProB) were compared regarding chemical composition, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility at 7 time points and VFA production after 72 h with sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a reference. NDF digestibility was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in ProL (35.8%) than ProS (30.4%) and ProB (20.9%) compared to SCB (21.9%). VFA concentrations from 20 g biomass L^-1 showed significant differences with 8.07, 6.71 and 6.51 g L^-1 for ProL, ProS and ProB respectively, while SCB yielded 4.02 g L^-1. These concentrations were comparable with other platforms that employ chemically pretreated biomass for VFA production.

Implications of land use/land cover dynamics and Prosopis invasion on ecosystem service values in Afar Region, Ethiopia

Land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics and the resulting changes in ecosystems, as well as the services they provide, are a consequence of human activities and environmental drivers, such as invasive alien plant species. This study assessed the changes in LULC and ecosystem service values (ESVs) in the Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia, which experiences a rapid invasion by the alien tree Prosopis juliflora (Swartz DC). Landsat satellite data of 1986, 2000 and 2017 were used in Random Forest algorithm to assess LULC changes in the last 31 years, to calculate net changes for different LULC types and the associated changes in ESVs. Kappa accuracies of 88% and higher were obtained for the three LULC classifications. Post-classification change analyses for the period between 1986 and 2017 revealed a positive net change for Prosopis invaded areas, cropland, salt flats, settlements and waterbodies. The rate of Prosopis invasion was estimated at 31,127 ha per year. Negative net changes were found for grassland, bareland, bush-shrub-woodland, and natural forests. According to the local community representatives, the four most important drivers of LULC dynamics were climate change, frequent droughts, invasive species and weak traditional law. Based on two different ESVs estimations, the ecosystem changes caused by LULC changes resulted in an average loss of ESVs in the study area of about US$ 602 million (range US$ 112 to 1091 million) over the last 31 years. With an increase in area by 965,000 ha, Prosopis-invaded land was the highest net change during the study period, followed by grassland (-599,000 ha), bareland (-329,000 ha) and bush-shrub-woodland (-327,000 ha). Our study provides evidence that LULC changes in the Afar Region have led to a significant loss in ESVs, with serious consequences for the livelihoods of the rural people.

Performances of machine learning algorithms for mapping fractional cover of an invasive plant species in a dryland ecosystem

In recent years, an increasing number of distribution maps of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) have been published using different machine learning algorithms (MLAs). However, for designing spatially explicit management strategies, distribution maps should include information on the local cover/abundance of the IAPS. This study compares the performances of five MLAs: gradient boosting machine in two different implementations, random forest, support vector machine and deep learning neural network, one ensemble model and a generalized linear model; thereby identifying the best-performing ones in mapping the fractional cover/abundance and distribution of IPAS, in this case called Prosopis juliflora (SW. DC.). Field level Prosopis cover and spatial datasets of seventeen biophysical and anthropogenic variables were collected, processed, and used to train and validate the algorithms so as to generate fractional cover maps of Prosopis in the dryland ecosystem of the Afar Region, Ethiopia. Out of the seven tested algorithms, random forest performed the best with an accuracy of 92% and sensitivity and specificity >0.89. The next best-performing algorithms were the ensemble model and gradient boosting machine with an accuracy of 89% and 88%, respectively. The other tested algorithms achieved comparably low performances. The strong explanatory variables for Prosopis distributions in all models were NDVI, elevation, distance to villages and distance to rivers; rainfall, temperature, near-infrared and red reflectance, whereas topographic variables, except for elevation, did not contribute much to the current distribution of Prosopis. According to the random forest model, a total of 1.173 million ha (12.33% of the study region) was found to be invaded by Prosopis to varying degrees of cover. Our findings demonstrate that MLAs can be successfully used to develop fractional cover maps of plant species, particularly IAPS so as to design targeted and spatially explicit management strategies.

Co-liquefaction of Prosopis juliflora with polyolefin waste for production of high grade liquid hydrocarbons

In this study, co-liquefaction (HTL) of Prosopis juliflora (PJ) biomass with polyolefin waste (PO) was performed to produce bio-oil. HTL on bio-oil yield was studied at varying PJ to PO ratios (0:1, 1:0, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1) and temperatures from 340 to 440 °C. Bio-oil and HTL by-products were characterized by Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Bio-oil yield was around 61.23%wt at 420 °C for 3:1 blends with 3 wt% of HCl activated bentonite catalyst at 60 min holding time. HHV value was 46 MJ/Kg with 88.23% purity (petro-diesel). Additionally gas possessed 26.28% of Hydrogen gas, 45.59% of Carbon dioxide gas, 7.1% of Carbon monoxide gas, 8.12% of Methane gas and other elements. The energy recovery (78%) and carbon recovery (94%) was higher for 3:1 blends bio-oil than PO and PJ processed bio-oils. HTL wastewater possessed higher degree of reusability nature as HTL medium.

Catalytic, antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy of biosynthesised silver nanoparticles using Prosopis juliflora leaf extract along with their wound healing potential

The present study focuses on the catalytic, antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in an easy, rapid and eco-friendly pathway. Herein, we have synthesised AgNPs using an aqueous extract of P. juliflora leaf. The bioactive compounds present in the extract are responsible for the reduction of Ag⁺ to Ag⁰. The particle synthesis was first observed by visual color change and then characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy to confirm the formation of AgNPs. The synthesis conditions were then optimised using critical parameters such as reaction time, AgNO₃ concentration, extract to AgNO₃ ratio and temperature of the reaction. The hydrodynamic size of the AgNPs with Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was 55.24 nm, while, was in the range of 10-20 nm as determined through Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Further, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies were conducted to discern the functional groups or compounds responsible for the reduction of silver nitrate as well as the capping of silver nanoparticles. Later, X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed crystalline nature of the biosynthesized AgNPs. To evaluate their antibacterial potential, AgNPs were assessed through disc-diffusion assay, which resulted in an appreciable dose-dependent activity. The antibacterial potential was investigated through disc-diffusion assay against E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The Congo red agar (CRA) plate assay successfully revealed the anti-biofilm activity against B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa. Further, the catalytic activity of synthesised AgNPs was assessed against azo dyes such a Methylene Blue (MB) and Congo Red (CR) that resulted in its effective degradation of toxic compounds in a short span of time. Further, AgNPs were assessed for their wound healing potential.

Utilization of dye-loaded activated carbon as a potential alternative fuel source: a feasibility study through calorific and thermo-gravimetric analysis

The disodium salt of Rose Bengal [4, 5, 6, 7-tetrachloro-2', 4', 5', 7'-tetraiodofluorescein] commonly finds application in medical procedures and its removal from aqueous solution is difficult owing to its high molecular weight of 1017.67 g/mol. Activated carbon was prepared from Prosopis juliflora and immobilized into sodium alginate beads and doped with aniline for enhanced adsorption of Rose Bengal. The effect of initial dye concentration, beads' dosage, contact time, and the temperature over the adsorption of Rose Bengal dye were studied. The optimum conditions derived for maximum dye uptake capacity were 4 mg/L of initial dye concentration, contact time of 60 min with the adsorbent dosage of 0.2 g, and temperature of 303 K at neutral pH. The equilibrium data were found to be best fitted for Langmuir -1 model, whereas the kinetics were interpreted through Ho-Mckay's pseudo-second-order equation. The adsorbents were subjected to thermo-gravimetric studies to determine the activation energy under a heating rate of 20 °C/min. The activation energy was computed using Broido's plot and was found to be 35.21 ± 0.84 kJ/mol for the activated carbon, and 16.77 ± 2.19 kJ/mol for the dye-adsorbed beads. The heat capacity was determined through differential scanning calorimetry and was calculated to be 19.41 J/g °C for activated carbon and 39.43 J/g °C for beads post-adsorption of Rose Bengal dye.

Immunomodulation of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 cytokines by Prosopis juliflora alkaloids during bovine sub-clinical mastitis

The current work is focused on establishing therapeutic protocol using unconventional drugs of herbal origin and studying their mechanism of action at molecular level in the treatment of bovine sub-clinical mastitis. It explores the potential of different cytokines which can be used for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of bovine sub-clinical mastitis. Prosopis juliflora alkaloids was administered intramammarily in 24 sub-clinically affected quarters once a day for 5 consecutive days at the rate of 10 ml of 1% formulation. In 18 disease control quarters, sterile normal saline was infused. The bacterial cultural examination, somatic cell count (SCC) and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α) expression by real-time PCR were evaluated on day 7, 14, 21 and 28 post-last treatment from milk samples. Around 75.0% of treatment group quarters showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in SCC on day 28 post-last treatment, whereas 94.4% control group quarters did not show any significant decline in SCC. 58.3% of treated quarters showed both bacteriological cure as well as significant (p < 0.05) reduction in SCC on day 28 post-last treatment. While, among control group quarters, 83.3% quarters not only remained bacteriological positive, they also did not show any significant decline in SCC. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of alkaloids of P. juliflora was evaluated. Lower concentrations of alkaloids (0.25% and 0.50%) dissolved in normal saline showed zone of inhibition against 12 out of 15 isolates, however higher concentration (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 5%) showed zone of inhibition against all 15 bacterial isolates. The gene expression level of IL-1β, IL-8 and IFN-γ cytokines exhibited significant difference between healthy and sub-clinically affected quarters highlighting the potential of these cytokines in the diagnosis of bovine sub-clinical mastitis. Down-regulation of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and IFN-γ cytokines in treated quarters can be explored for making the prognosis and monitoring post-treatment disease progression of bovine sub-clinical mastitis. The P. juliflora alkaloid demonstrated strong in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity, along with causing immunomodulation by enhancing post-treatment gene expression of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 cytokines. Therefore, P. juliflora alkaloids hold a strong claim as an effective alternative herbal therapy in bovine sub-clinical mastitis.

Stabilized red soil-an efficient liner system for landfills containing hazardous materials

In recent decades, disposal of hazardous material has become a challenging task especially in case of landfills where leaching out of waste is possible. In such cases, an efficient and economical liner system using locally available material is very essential. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the suitability of red soil stabilized using lime and Prosopis juliflora fibers as liner material for landfills. Prosopis is a woody weed available abundantly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The fibers were used at 0.0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.0% by weight of the soil and the amount of lime used was kept constant as 4%. Tests results revealed decrease in plasticity index, increase in UCC strength, ductile behavior, decrease in consolidation settlement, reduction in permeability and shrinkage, and increase in CBR resistance in soils treated with both lime and Prosopis fibers. SEM images of stabilized soil revealed adherence of hydrated products of lime on the fiber surface, which facilitate efficient stress transfer between the soil and fibers. A single composite liner system was modeled using Visual MODFLOW by replacing the compacted clay layer with the stabilized red soil below the HDPE liner and the model was simulated. The simulation result showed that the performance of liner system with stabilized red soil is good and could prevent the aquifer from contamination. From the study, it can be concluded that stabilized red soil possesses the geotechnical properties required for an efficient liner system.

Modeling, experimental validation and optimization of Prosopis juliflora fuelwood pyrolysis in fixed-bed tubular reactor

This work studied the optimal conditions for pyrolysis of Prosopis juliflora wood in fixed-bed tubular reactor. The optimal conditions are measured by performing pyrolysis experiment with respect to wood properties such as particle size, moisture and pyrolysis condition such as, temperatures, heating rates. Higher solid yield (36.8%) was recorded for a slower heating rate of larger particle size at lower temperatures. Further, higher liquid yield (38.3%) was observed while maintaining high heating rate and temperature. It is observed that with increase in particle size, the yield of char and gas decreases and bio-oil increases. The literature reported biomass pyrolysis kinetic model is validated for Prosopis juliflora wood. The kinetic models are able to predict the performance of fixed-bed tubular reactor in terms of pyrolysis product properties. The validated kinetic model may be used for the design of commercial fixed bed pyrolysis reactor to process Prosopis juliflora wood.

Biological Invasion Influences the Outcome of Plant-Soil Feedback in the Invasive Plant Species from the Brazilian Semi-arid

Plant-soil feedback is recognized as the mutual interaction between plants and soil microorganisms, but its role on the biological invasion of the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest by invasive plants still remains unclear. Here, we analyzed and compared the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities and soil characteristics from the root zone of invasive and native plants, and tested how these AMF communities affect the development of four invasive plant species (Cryptostegia madagascariensis, Parkinsonia aculeata, Prosopis juliflora, and Sesbania virgata). Our field sampling revealed that AMF diversity and frequency of the Order Diversisporales were positively correlated with the root zone of the native plants, whereas AMF dominance and frequency of the Order Glomerales were positively correlated with the root zone of invasive plants. We grew the invasive plants in soil inoculated with AMF species from the root zone of invasive (I _changed) and native (I _unaltered) plant species. We also performed a third treatment with sterilized soil inoculum (control). We examined the effects of these three AMF inoculums on plant dry biomass, root colonization, plant phosphorous concentration, and plant responsiveness to mycorrhizas. We found that I _unaltered and I _changed promoted the growth of all invasive plants and led to a higher plant dry biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, and P uptake than control, but I _changed showed better results on these variables than I _unaltered. For plant responsiveness to mycorrhizas and fungal inoculum effect on plant P concentration, we found positive feedback between changed-AMF community (I _changed) and three of the studied invasive plants: C. madagascariensis, P. aculeata, and S. virgata.

Antifungical Activity of Autochthonous Bacillus subtilis Isolated from Prosopis juliflora against Phytopathogenic Fungi

The ability of Bacillus subtilis, strain ALICA to produce three mycolytic enzymes (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, and protease), was carried out by the chemical standard methods. Bacillus subtilis ALICA was screened based on their antifungal activity in dual plate assay and cell-free culture filtrate (25%) against five different phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria alternata, Macrophomina sp., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Botrytis cinerea, and Sclerotium rolfesii. The B. subtilis ALICA detected positive for chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease enzymes. Fungal growth inhibition by both strain ALICA and its cell-free culture filtrate ranged from 51.36% to 86.3% and 38.43% to 68.6%, respectively. Moreover, hyphal morphological changes like damage, broken, swelling, distortions abnormal morphology were observed. Genes expression of protease, β-1,3-glucanase, and lipopeptides (subtilosin and subtilisin) were confirmed their presence in the supernatant of strain ALICA. Our findings indicated that strain ALICA provided a broad spectrum of antifungal activities against various phytopathogenic fungi and may be a potential effective alternative to chemical fungicides.

Prosopis juliflora Pods Alkaloid-rich Fraction: In vitro Anthelmintic Activity on Goat Gastrointestinal Parasites and Its Cytotoxicity on Vero Cells

Background:

This study was designed to assess the in vitro anthelmintic activity of the fraction containing alkaloid from Prosopis juliflora pods on goat gastrointestinal nematodes using the egg hatch assay (EHA), larval migration inhibition assay (LMIA), and larval motility assay (LMA).

Materials and Methods:

The alkaloid-rich fraction (AF) – content juliprosopine as major alkaloid – was obtained from ethyl acetate extract after fractionation in Sephadex LH-20 chromatography column and its characterization were made by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis together with literature data comparison. The concentrations tested were 4.0, 2.67, 1.78, 1.19, and 0.79 mg/mL (EHA) and 4 mg/mL (LMIA and LMA). The in vitro cytotoxicity on Vero cell cultures was determined with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and trypan blue tests.

Results:

High ovicidal activity was observed with IC₅₀ and IC₉₀ values at 1.1 and 1.43 mg/mL for AF. On the other hand, this fraction showed low larvicidal activity and high toxic effect.

Conclusion:

Thus, P. juliflora pod alkaloid rich-fraction has ovicidal activity in vitro against goat gastrointestinal nematodes and cytotoxic in Vero cell cultures.

SUMMARY

Prosopis juliflora alkaloid-rich fraction (AF) showed in vitro anthelmintic effect against gastrointestinal nematodes of goats

The AF was more effective against eggs than third larval stage (L₃) of gastrointestinal nematodes

The AF showed cytotoxicity activity on Vero cell line

The juliprosopine was the main alkaloid found in the AF from P. juliflora pods.

Abbreviations used: AF: Alkaloid-rich fraction; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; EE: Ethyl acetate extract; EHA: Egg hatch assay; IC50: Inhibitory concentration 50%; IC90: Inhibitory concentration 90%; L3: Infective larvae; LMA: Larval motility assay; LMIA: Larval migration inhibition assay; MTT: Bromide 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; NMR: Nuclear magnetic resonance; PBS: Phosphate buffered saline; RPMI: Roswell Park Memorial Institute médium; TLC: Thin Layer Chromatography.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Prosopis juliflora bark extract: reaction optimization, antimicrobial and catalytic activities

In the present study, silver nanoparticles (PJB-AgNPs) have been biosynthesized employing Prosopis juliflora bark extract. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles was monitored on UV-vis spectrophotometer. The size, charge and polydispersity index (PDI) of PJB-AgNPs were determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Different parameters dictating the size of PJB-AgNPs were explored. Nanoparticles biosynthesis optimization studies suggested efficient synthesis of highly dispersed PJB-AgNPs at 25 °C when 9.5 ml of 1 mM AgNO₃ was reduced with 0.5 ml of bark extract for 40 min. Characterization of PJB-AgNPs by SEM showed spherical-shaped nanoparticles with a size range ∼10-50 nm along with a hydrodynamic diameter of ∼55 nm as evaluated by DLS. Further, characterizations were done by FTIR and EDS to evaluate the functional groups and purity of PJB-AgNPs. The antibacterial potential of PJB-AgNPs was tested against E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The PJB-AgNPs remarkably exhibited anticancer activity against A549 cell line as evidenced by Alamar blue assay. The dye degradation activity was also evaluated against 4-nitrophenol that has carcinogenic effect. The results thus obtained suggest application of PJB-AgNPs as antimicrobial, anticancer and catalytic agents.

Determination of kinetic parameters in the pyrolysis operation and thermal behavior of Prosopis juliflora using thermogravimetric analysis

This paper deals with the pyrolysis of Prosopis juliflora fuelwood using thermogravimetric analysis to determine the kinetic parameters at six different heating rates of 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C/min. The activation energy of pyrolysis was calculated using different methods, namely Kissinger, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, Ozawa-Flynn-Wall and Friedman model and corresponding calculated activation energy were found to be 164.6, 204, 203.2, and 219.3kJ/mol, respectively for each method. The three-pseudo component model was applied to calculate the following three kinetic parameters: activation energy, pre-exponential factor and order of reaction. The experimental results were validated with model prediction for all the six heating rates. The three-pseudo component model is able to predict experimental results much accurately while considering variable order reaction model (n≠1).

Concurrent production of cellulase and xylanase from Trichoderma reesei NCIM 1186: enhancement of production by desirability-based multi-objective method

Application of multiple response optimizations using desirability function in the production of microbial metabolites improves economy and efficiency. Concurrent production of cellulase and xylanase in Trichoderma reesei NCIM 1186 using an agricultural weed, Prosopis juliflora pods, was studied. The main aim of the study was to optimize significant medium nutrient parameters for maximization of cellulase and xylanase by multi-objective optimization strategy using biomass. Process parameters such as the nutrient concentrations (pods, sucrose, and yeast extract) and pH were investigated to improve cellulase and xylanase activities by one factor at a time approach, single response optimization and multi-objective optimization. At the corresponding optimized process parameters in single response optimization, the maximum cellulase activity observed was 3055.65 U/L where xylanase highest activity was 422.16 U/L. Similarly, the maximum xylanase activity, 444.94 U/L, was observed with the highest cellulase activity of 2804.40 U/L. The multi-objective optimization finds a tradeoff between the two objectives and optimal activity values in between the single-objective optima were achieved, 3033.74 and 439.13 U/L for cellulase and xylanase, respectively.

Total replacement of corn by mesquite pod meal considering nutritional value, performance, feeding behavior, nitrogen balance, and microbial protein synthesis of Holstein-Zebu crossbred dairy steers

The objective of the present study to assess the effects of mesquite pod addition replacing corn (0, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 g/kg in the dry matter basis) on nutrient intake, animal performance, feeding behavior, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and microbial protein synthesis. Twenty-five Holstein-Zebu crossbred dairy steers at 219 ± 22 kg initial body weight and 18 months of age were used. The experiment lasted 84 days, divided into three periods of 28 days. A completely randomized design was used, and data were submitted to analysis using PROC GLM for analysis of variance and PROC REG for regression analysis using the software Statistical Analysis Systems version 9.1. Experimental diets were composed of Tifton 85 hay, soybean meal, ground corn, mesquite pod meal, and mineral salt. Samples of food offered were collected during the last 3 days of each period, and the leftovers were collected daily, with samples bulked per week. At the end of each 28-day period, the remaining animals were weighed to determine total weight gain and average daily gain. The assessment of behavioral patterns was performed through instantaneous scans in 5-min intervals for three consecutive 12-h days. A single urine sample from each animal was collected on the last day of each collection period at about 4 h after the first feeding. The replacement of corn by mesquite pod meal did not significantly influence treatments regarding nutrients intake, animal performance, and feeding behavior. Retained and consumed nitrogen ratio did not statistically differ between replacement levels. Likewise, there were no statistical differences regarding microbial protein synthesis and efficiency between replacement levels. Mesquite pod meal can be used in Holstein-Zebu crossbred dairy steers' diet with total corn replacement.

Biomass yielding potential of naturally regenerated Prosopis juliflora tree stands at three varied ecosystems in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India

Fuel energy demand is of great concern in recent times due to the depletion of fossil fuel resources. Biomass serves as widely available primary renewable energy source. Hence, a study was performed to assess the above-ground biomass yielding capability of fuel wood tree Prosopis juliflora in three varied ecosystems viz., coastal, fallow land and riparian ecosystems in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The results showed that the biomass production potential and above-ground net primary productivity of P. juliflora depend on the age of the tree stands and the nature of ecosystem. A higher biomass yield was observed for P. juliflora trees with 5 to 10 years old when compared to less than 5 years of their age. Among the three ecosystems, the maximum biomass production was recorded in riparian ecosystem. The stands with less than 5-year-old P. juliflora trees gave 1.40 t/ha, and 5- to 10-year-old tree stands produced 27.69 t/ha in riparian ecosystem. Above-ground net primary productivity of both the age groups was high in fallow land ecosystem. In riparian ecosystem, the wood showed high density and low sulphur content than the other two ecosystems. Hence, P. juliflora biomass can serve as an environmentally and economically feasible fuel as well as their utilization proffers an effective means to control its invasiveness.

Cr-resistant rhizo- and endophytic bacteria associated with Prosopis juliflora and their potential as phytoremediation enhancing agents in metal-degraded soils

Prosopis juliflora is characterized by distinct and profuse growth even in nutritionally poor soil and environmentally stressed conditions and is believed to harbor some novel heavy metal-resistant bacteria in the rhizosphere and endosphere. This study was performed to isolate and characterize Cr-resistant bacteria from the rhizosphere and endosphere of P. juliflora growing on the tannery effluent contaminated soil. A total of 5 and 21 bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere and endosphere, respectively, and were shown to tolerate Cr up to 3000 mg l(-1). These isolates also exhibited tolerance to other toxic heavy metals such as, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, and high concentration (174 g l(-1)) of NaCl. Moreover, most of the isolated bacterial strains showed one or more plant growth-promoting activities. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that the predominant species included Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Aerococcus. As far as we know, this is the first report analyzing rhizo- and endophytic bacterial communities associated with P. juliflora growing on the tannery effluent contaminated soil. The inoculation of three isolates to ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) improved plant growth and heavy metal removal from the tannery effluent contaminated soil suggesting that these bacteria could enhance the establishment of the plant in contaminated soil and also improve the efficiency of phytoremediation of heavy metal-degraded soils.