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Kerby JT, Krivak-Tetley FE, Shikesho SD, Bolger DT. Livestock impacts on an iconic Namib Desert plant are mediated by abiotic conditions. Oecologia 2022; 199:229-242. [PMID: 35524862 PMCID: PMC9120118 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05177-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Resolving the relative contributions of top-down versus bottom-up drivers of vegetation dynamics is a major challenge in drylands. In the coming decades, growing livestock populations and shifts in water availability will simultaneously impact many arid systems, but a lack of empirical data on plant responses to these pressures limits understanding of how plants will respond. Here, we combine ground and drone observations from an herbivore exclosure experiment to identify ungulate visitation patterns and their impacts on the cover and melon production of !nara (Acanthosicyos horridus), a large, long-lived desert plant in the hyper-arid Namib Desert. !Nara are of key ecological, social, and economic importance to Namib ecosystems and to the local Topnaar people. At our study site, we find that among native and domestic herbivores, free-ranging donkeys have the largest impact on !nara cover and melon production. !Nara cover was negatively affected by herbivores close to the desert-ephemeral river ecotone during a dry period, whereas !nara cover increased on all plants across the landscape during a wetter period, regardless of herbivore access. !Nara near the river channel and those protected from herbivores had more mature melons, particularly during the wetter period. At this site, the potential for conflict between Topnaar !nara melon harvesting and pastoral practices varies with a plant's distance from the river and prevailing abiotic conditions. This work advances monitoring approaches and adds empirical support to the understanding that top-down and bottom-up regulation of plant dynamics varies with spatiotemporal context, even within landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey T Kerby
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
| | - Flora E Krivak-Tetley
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Saima D Shikesho
- Gobabeb-Namib Research Institute, Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Douglas T Bolger
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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Raimi IO, Musyoki AM, Olatunji OA, Jimoh MO, Dube WV, Olowoyo JO. Potential medicinal, nutritive and antiviral food plants: Africa’s plausible answer to the low Covid-19 mortality. JOURNAL OF HERBMED PHARMACOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.34172/jhp.2022.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The surge in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has put the scientific community on overdrive to come up with a cure and/or possible vaccine to curtail the menace this virus has caused. Considering the morbidity rate from the Coronavirus and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for healthy living, this review examined and documented the possible options of plant-based immune boosters for attaining wellness and protect against infections caused by viruses. This review documented 106 plants consumed largely in Africa as food or medicine after assessing over 172 articles from notable search engines. These plants were reported for antiviral activities and immune boosters for attaining wellness and immunomodulation, a key protective feature against infections caused by viruses. The documented plants contain several immune-modulating compounds like vitamins, flavonoids, phenols, macro, and micronutrients, which might be the possible reason for the current leverage on the mortality rate associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the African continent. The study, therefore, concluded that medicinal/food plants are able to enhance healthy living and medicinal plants are a significant source of phytomedicinal content for the management of viral-induced diseases such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idris O Raimi
- Department of Biology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 139, Medunsa 0204, South Africa
| | - Andrew M. Musyoki
- Department of microbiological pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Medunsa 0204, South Africa
| | - Olusanya A. Olatunji
- College of Geographical Science,Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangsan Road, Fuzhou, 35007, Fujian, Republic of China
- Department of Plant Biology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State
| | - Muhali O. Jimoh
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville Campus, P.O. Box 1906, Bellville 7535, City of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Welile V. Dube
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Joshua O. Olowoyo
- Department of Biology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, P.O. Box 139, Medunsa 0204, South Africa
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Kamenya SN, Mikwa EO, Song B, Odeny DA. Genetics and breeding for climate change in Orphan crops. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2021; 134:1787-1815. [PMID: 33486565 PMCID: PMC8205878 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-020-03755-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is rapidly changing how we live, what we eat and produce, the crops we breed and the target traits. Previously underutilized orphan crops that are climate resilient are receiving much attention from the crops research community, as they are often the only crops left in the field after periods of extreme weather conditions. There are several orphan crops with incredible resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Some are nutritious, while others provide good sources of biofuel, medicine and other industrial raw materials. Despite these benefits, orphan crops are still lacking in important genetic and genomic resources that could be used to fast track their improvement and make their production profitable. Progress has been made in generating draft genomes of at least 28 orphan crops over the last decade, thanks to the reducing cost of sequencing. The implementation of a structured breeding program that takes advantage of additional modern crop improvement tools such as genomic selection, speed breeding, genome editing, high throughput phenotyping and breeding digitization would make rapid improvement of these orphan crops possible, but would require coordinated research investment. Other production challenges such as lack of adequate germplasm conservation, poor/non-existent seed systems and agricultural extension services, as well as poor marketing channels will also need to be improved if orphan crops were to be profitable. We review the importance of breeding orphan crops under the increasing effects of climate change, highlight existing gaps that need to be addressed and share some lessons to be learned from major crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ndagire Kamenya
- African Center of Excellence in Agroecology and Livelihood Systems, Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Erick Owuor Mikwa
- The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics - Eastern and Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Bo Song
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute At Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Damaris Achieng Odeny
- The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics - Eastern and Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Comparison of CaO-NPs and Chicken Eggshell-Derived CaO in the Production of Biodiesel from Schinziophyton rautanenii (Mongongo) Nut Oil. J CHEM-NY 2021. [DOI: 10.1155/2021/6663722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ever-increasing population growth and economic developments have heightened demand for energy. This has resulted in depletion and ever-rising prices of petroleum diesel, thus increasing environmental degradation. These complications have motivated this study for the search of an alternative eco-friendly and renewable source of energy such as biodiesel. Biodiesel has been found to be a potential alternative fuel for diesel. Biodiesel was produced by transesterification reaction of Schinziophyton rautanenii (mongongo) nut oil in the presence of a base heterogeneous catalyst: CaO derived from eggshell ash and synthesised CaO-nanoparticles (CaO-NPs). The catalysts were calcined at a temperature of 800°C for 3 h and characterized by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) where both catalysts showed agglomerated particles and high elemental composition of Ca and O. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that CaO was present in both catalysts, and the average crystalline size obtained was 42 and 50 nm for CaO-NPs and eggshell ash, respectively. Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectrometer showed absorption bands of CaO in both catalysts which were at 875 and 713.46 cm−1 for CaO-NPs and eggshell ash, respectively. The analysis of mongongo nut oil (MNO) and mongongo methyl esters (MMEs) was done according to the European biodiesel specification (EN 1421) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D675). Statistically, there was no significant difference between CaO-NPs and eggshell in terms of optimum yield (
) using a sample t-test. However, in terms of catalyst loading, the eggshell was a better catalyst as it required a low catalyst load to obtain an optimum yield of 83% at 6 wt.% compared to CaO-NPs with an optimum yield of 85% at 12 wt.%. The reactions were all performed at constant reaction conditions of 9 : 1 methanol to oil ratio, 3 h reaction time, and 65°C reaction temperature.
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Kaur R, Masisi K, Molaei M, Le K, Fischer G, Kobue-Lekalake R, Moghadasian MH. Anti-atherogenic properties of Kgengwe ( Citrullus lanatus) seed powder in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice are mediated through beneficial alterations in inflammatory pathways. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2021; 46:169-177. [PMID: 32846097 DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2020-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Kgengwe fruits are commonly consumed in sub-Saharan countries. Recent reports indicated low coronary artery disease rates in those regions. To investigate anti-atherogenic properties and potential mechanisms of action of Kgengwe seed powder (KSP), male low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-r-KO) mice were fed with an atherogenic diet supplemented with (treated, n = 10) or without (controls, n = 10) 10% (w/w) KSP for 20 weeks. Proximate analysis revealed that KSP contained 38% fibre and 15% lipids. KSP supplementation was not associated with significant changes in body weight gain rate, food intake, and plasma lipid levels. However, the average atherosclerotic lesion size in the aortic roots in the KSP-treated group was 58% smaller than that in the control group (0.26 vs 0.11 mm2, p < 0.05). This strong anti-atherogenic effect was associated with significant increases in the average plasma levels of certain cytokines such as IL-10 (6 vs 13 pg/mL, p < 0.05), GM-CSF (0.1 vs 0.2 pg/mL, p < 0.05), and EPO (7 vs 16 pg/mL, p < 0.05) along with reductions in the average levels of plasma MCP-1 (19 vs 14 pg/mL, p < 0.05) and MIP-2 (28 vs 13 pg/mL, p < 0.05). Except for relatively high levels of saturated fatty acids, KSP possesses balanced nutrient compositions with strong anti-atherogenic properties, which may be mediated through alterations in inflammatory pathways. Additional studies warrant confirmation and mechanism(s) of action of such effects. Novelty: Kgengwe seeds prevent atherogenesis in LDL-r-KO mice. Kgengwe seeds increase circulating levels of IL-10 and EPO. No reduction in plasma total cholesterol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kaur
- Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - K Masisi
- Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - M Molaei
- The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - K Le
- The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - G Fischer
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada
| | - R Kobue-Lekalake
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Botswana
| | - M H Moghadasian
- Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
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Patil SS, Jena HM. Synthesis of Epoxidized Citrullus lanatus Seed Oil: Experimental Investigation and Statistical Optimization. ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13369-019-04077-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Ok S, Yilmaz E. The Pretreatment of the Seeds Affects the Quality and Physicochemical Characteristics of Watermelon Oil and Its By‐Products. J AM OIL CHEM SOC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/aocs.12191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Selçuk Ok
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food EngineeringÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart University 17020, Çanakkale Turkey
| | - Emin Yilmaz
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food EngineeringÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart University 17020, Çanakkale Turkey
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