Search

This experiment aimed to assess the regulatory effects of treatment with Balanites aegyptiaca fruit ethanol extract (BA-EE) on oxidant/antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and cell apoptosis gene expression in the abomasum of Haemonchus contortus–infected goats. Twenty goat kids were assigned randomly to four equal groups: (G1) infected-untreated, (G2) uninfected-BA-EE-treated, (G3) infected-albendazole-treated, (G4) infected-BA-EE-treated. Each goat in (G1), (G3), and (G4) was orally infected with 10,000 infective third-stage larvae. In the fifth week postinfection, single doses of albendazole (5 mg/kg.BW) and BA-EE (9 g/kg.BW) were given orally. In the ninth week postinfection, the animals were slaughtered to obtain abomasum specimens. The following oxidant/antioxidant markers were determined: malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT). The mRNA gene expression of cytokines (IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and cell apoptosis markers (Bax, Bcl-2) were estimated. (G1) showed significantly reduced GSH content and GST and SOD activities but a markedly increased MDA level. (G3) and (G4) revealed a markedly lower MDA level with pronouncedly elevated GSH, SOD, and GST levels. The antioxidant properties of BA-EE were superior to those of albendazole. The mRNA gene expressions of IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and Bax-2 were upregulated in (G1) but downregulated in (G3) and (G4). Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax ratio expression followed a reverse course in the infected and both treated groups. We conclude that BA-EE treatment has a protective role in the abomasum of H. contortus–infected goats. This could be attributed to its antioxidant properties and ability to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants represents a huge source of bioactive materials that have been used since the old times in the treatment of many diseases. Balanites aegyptiaca, known as desert date, has been used in treatment of fever, diabetes and bacterial infection. Desert dates contains a hard seed that resembles 50–60% of the fruit. The seed extract contains many fatty acids, amino acids and other bioactive materials that gives the extract its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The study aimed to use Balanites seed extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SeEx-C NPs) for the treatment of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in male Sprague Dawley rats. Animals were divided into two main divisions (healthy and diabetic rats). Each division contained seven groups (5 rats/group): control untreated group I, SeEx treated group II and group III (10 and 20 mg/kg b.w., respectively), C NPs treated group IV and group V (10 and 20 mg/kg b.w., respectively) and SeEx-C NPs treated group VI and group VII (10 and 20 mg/kg b.w., respectively). The therapeutical effects of SeEx-C NPs were evaluated through biochemical and immunological assessments in rats' pancreases. The results showed that SeEx-C NPs (10 and 20 mg/kg b.w.) reduced the oxidative stress and inflammation in rats' pancreases allowing the islets neogenesis. The loading of SeEx on C NPs allowed the delivery of fatty acids (oleic, lauric and myristic acid), amino acids (lysine, leucine, phenylalanine and valine) and minerals to pancreatic beta-cells in a sustainable manner. SeEx-C NPs administration successfully increased insulin secretion, allowed pancreatic islets neogenesis and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In systematic botany, species delimitations are addressed most frequently. The desert date Balanites is a plant with the controversial membership in the Balanitaceae and Zygophyllaceae families. The morphological characters of Balanites showed close relationship with the members of Zygophyllaceae while barcode genes showed relatedness with the members of Celastraceae. On the other hand, Gymnosporia montana, a Celastraceae plant, showed close relatedness with Zygophyllaceae. In this study, cpDNAs (plastomes) of Balanites aegyptiaca and G. montana were extracted, sequenced, and annotated for the detailed analysis. These plastomes were compared and contrasted with plastomes of other members of allied groups from the NCBI databases. The comparative genomics study revealed that B. aegyptiaca related more with family Zygophyllaceae than Celastraceae. Detailed studies performed for molecular marker analysis showed distinction in marker patterns. It is concluded that B. aegyptiaca, assigned in a separate family, may be justifiable at genomic level, and screened markers can be used for identification and authentication. The nucleotide probes identified can be used for identification and authentication of these medicinally important plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local forests and fruit trees in sub-Saharan Africa play an important role to improve food and nutrition security, health and incomes generation. The support and the economic value of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) from tropical forests in people life has been widely investigated but several tree species' uses and contribution to households' well-being are yet to deepen. Balanites aegyptiaca is a native multipurpose tree whose several parts/organs are widely used in diversified domains. To date, the permanent gap related to B. aegyptiaca is to link the species use diversity and its economical contribution with local climate conditions, and the assessment of endogenous strategies to promote its resource conservation. This study aimed to highlight the contribution of B. aegyptiaca NTFPs in the local economy and local strategies to promote its products for endogenous conservation practices. Hence, socio-economic surveys were conducted in 120 households, five markets and nine associations across two climatic zones. Use values, use domains, economic value and local strategies for the species conservation were assessed. Results showed the used organs, and the used intensity varies significantly across climatic zones (p = 0.03). Local manufactured products are mostly from leaves and fruit. Informants reported widely almonds processing (78%). The species NTFPs are more commercialized in the Sudano-Sahelian zone (85%) compared to the Sahelian zone (15%). Average value per tree was estimated at 154 ± 28 FCFA (0.27 USD) per season in the Sahelian zone and 426 ± 19 FCFA or (0.74 USD) in the Sudano-Sahelian zone based only on fruit collection. Given its importance in local people life, endogenous strategies are adopted to safeguard the resource and for sustainably the species products. The multipurpose uses of B. aegyptiaca reported, the NTFPs financial benefits and the high resilience of the species show a great necessity to promote its domestication and in-situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haemonchosis is a serious disease affecting ruminants' productivity worldwide. Medicinal plants are deemed one of the most natural bio-products safely used as alternatives to the synthetic anthelmintics. In the present study, comparative efficacy of crude ethanolic extracts (CEEs) of Artemisia herba-alba (A. herba-alba), Balanites aegyptiaca (B. aegyptiaca) and Allium sativum (A. sativum) as alternative treatments was tested on Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus). An in vitro test to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of various concentrations of extracts at 25, 30 and 50 mg/ml was accomplished on motility and viability of adult worms in comparison with albendazole, reference drug at 10 μg/ml at various time intervals. An in vivo test was carried out in lambs experimentally infected with H. contortus to detect anthelmintic activity of CEEs of A. herba-alba and B. aegyptiaca compared to albendazole. Fifteen parasite-free Baladi Egyptian lambs aged 4–8 months old were categorized into five groups, each of three lambs as follows: G1 was kept as uninfected untreated one, G2 was utilized as infected untreated group, G3 was given CEE of A. herba-alba, G4 was received CEE of B. aegyptiaca, and G 5 was treated with albendazole. Results: The in vitro test revealed that CEE of B. aegyptiaca had the most significant anthelmintic activity on adult H. contortus followed by A. herba-alba, while A. sativum was of the lowest effect. The in vivo test showed that the CEE of B. aegyptiaca achieved an excellent faecal egg reduction (100%) at the 7th day post-treatment. The most efficient treatments that improved the haematological parameters and regained the level of serum total protein, albumin and A/G ratio, serum globulin, SGoT, SGPT, urea and creatinine to the almost normal levels were CEE of B. aegyptiaca, albendazole and CEE of A. herba-alba, respectively. Conclusions: This study highlighted the marked anthelmintic potency of the CEEs of B. aegyptiaca and A. herba-alba on H. contortus and the superiority of CEE of B. aegyptiaca as a talented anti-parasitic medicinal plant for sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites fruit pulp and seed kernel contain considerable amount of steroidal saponins, which are used as raw material for the production of pharmaceutical drugs. However, insect and avian pests are the key limiting factors in balanites production. This study was conducted to record the causal insect and avian pests and level of their infestation. Balanites fruits fallen on the ground were collected at regular intervals for two fruiting seasons at Keren, Eritrea. The fruits were put in polybags and stored at room temperature. The emerging insects were counted and percent infestation was calculated. The insects identified were balanites stone borer, Eublemma (= Eupsoropsis) robertsi (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) and carob moth, Apomyelois (=Ectomyelois) ceratoniae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Eublemma robertsi larva consumed the kernel and bored into the stone with one exit hole (ca. 3 mm) at pre-pupal stage whereas A. ceratoniae larvae infested and contaminated fruit pulp with faecal waste. More than 70% of fruits collected during October and November were infested by E. robertsi and oviposition of 1–3 eggs were found on 73% of examined fruits. Damage from A. ceratoniae was unnoticeable in field-collected fruits but larval infestation was observable after one month of storage. The speckled mousebird, Colius striatus (Coliiformes: Coliidae), was the most frequent avian visitor, which not only nibbled on fruits attached to branches but also caused drop of fruits to the ground. Fruit damage caused by birds ranged 58 to 95% during the two fruiting seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The persistent problem of canine infection with Dipylidium caninum, in spite of the wide accessibility of drugs proposed essentially to kill cestodes, recommends the need to discover other effective alternative therapy. The present study aimed to explore the role of Balanites aegyptiaca fruits against the adult D. caninum, and whether its methanolic extract had any effect on the tegument of adult cestode which is essential for the protective function, following 12- and 24-h incubation in vitro. The tegumental alterations were assessed by using both light and scanning electron microscopic studies. Results: The Balanites extract exhibited cestocidal effect in vitro on D. caninum, and the tegument of the adult worm appeared to be its primary target. This finding was supported by differences in extract response depending on the exposure period. After 12-h incubation in vitro with Balanites extract, the tegumental changes concerned the scolex other than the proglottides, while by 24-h incubation, the changes in the adult cestodes concerned the whole body surface. Conclusion: The tegumental distortion appeared to be the main changes induced by treatment with the tested extract. This alteration would obviously disrupt the protective function of the tegument and facilitate expelling of the adult cestode from the dog’s intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Correlations were observed between Balanites aegyptiaca fruit morphology and kernel oil yield and quality, thus suggesting the possibility of selecting trees with smaller fruits and lower pulp/seed ratio for edible oil production. Phenotypic variations in fruit morphology (length, diameter, total fruit weight, anatomical part weight percentages) and kernel chemical traits (gross composition, amino acid content, fatty acid composition of kernel oil) were assessed in a natural population of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. grown in the South-East of Sudan, with the main aim of highlighting the potential of B. aegyptiaca kernel for edible oil production. Mature fruits were randomly collected from eight trees, representative of eight distinct categories for shape (length/diameter ratio) and size (weight). Significant tree-to-tree differences in fruit morphology and kernel composition have been registered. The smallest fruits were characterised by the highest kernel contribution to the whole fruit weight, while the largest fruits showed the smallest seeds. The highest oleic/linoleic acid ratio in kernel oil fatty acids was found in fruits characterized by the lowest pulp percentage; the maximum oil yield (highest kernel percentage and kernel oil percentage) was associated to the highest levels of polyphenolic antioxidants and the highest radical scavenging activity of kernel tissues. Experimental data suggested the possibility of selecting trees with large fruits and high pulp/seed ratio, suitable for direct consumption as human food, and trees with smaller fruits and lower pulp/seed ratio for oil production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to screen phytochemical components and antioxidant activity of Balanites aegyptiaca ethanolic extract (BAF-EE) as well as to evaluate its curative effect on experimentally induced haemonchosis in goats. Phytochemical constitutes of BAF-EE were screened and identified using Gas Chromatography–mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis and antioxidant effect was determined. Infective third larval stage (L3) of Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) were obtained by culturing feces of goat harboring monospecific infection of the parasite. Twelve male goats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 3) as: G1 (infected—untreated) which served as control positive, G2 (infected—BAF-EE treated), G3 (infected-albendazole treated) and G4 (uninfected—BAF-EE treated) that served as control negative. Experimental infection was conducted with a single oral dose of 10,000 L3 at 0-time, whereas treatment with BAF-EE and albendazole were given at a single oral dose of 9 g and 5 mg/kg BW, respectively in the 5th week post infection (PI). Egg count per gram of feces (EPG) was conducted once a week and blood samples were drawn on zero time, 3rd week PI and then biweekly for 9 weeks, for conduction of hemogram. At the end of the experiment, all animals were slaughtered and adult worms in their abomasa were counted. GC–MS analysis confirmed 28 compounds in the extract which revealed presence of saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics and alkaloids, and exhibited in vitro antioxidant activity. Clinical signs observed on the infected animals were signs of anemia, which were gradually disappeared post treatment (PT). A maximum reduction in EPG (88.10%) and worm burden (94.66%) was recorded on 4th week PT due to efficacy of BAF-EE in contrast to 98.29% and 96.95% efficacy of albendazole. All infected groups showed a significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) and presence of microcytic hypochromic anemia compared with G4. Goats treated with B. aegyptiaca and albendazole, exhibited significant increase in Hb and PCV 2 weeks PT and anemia changed to be normocytic hypochromic or microcytic normochromic in G2 and G3, respectively. Total white blood cells (WBCs) were elevated significantly in all infected groups which attributed to increase in lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils on expense of neutrophils. After treatments, WBCs and previously mentioned cells tended to decease. This study demonstrated that BAF-EE has anthelmintic effect against H. contortus and can improve hemogram and health condition of infected goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca: 'desert date' is endemic to dry land areas. The plant is commonly grown in arid regions of Africa, Middle East and southern Asia and is traditionally used for several purposes although the nutritional significance of its fruits as food is not well investigated. To assess the nutritional properties of desert date, 1.5 kg of desert date fruits were pealed, soaked in 3 L distilled water for 36 h, sieved and the filtered juice as the fresh extract (FED) a portion of which was boiled for 10 min forming the boiled extract (CED). The antioxidant properties of the desert date juice were evaluated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-icrylhydrazyl DPPH and superoxide anion radical methods. Furthermore, the sensory evaluation and chemical composition of the desert date juice were also analyzed. Both FED and CED exhibited high antioxidant activity of 85.28 and 81.82% with DPPH and a significant superoxide anion radical concentration of 5 mg/mL. Both FED and CED contained relatively small amount of vitamin C (0.0966 and 0.0744 mg/mL). Boiling of desert date juice showed some significant effect (p < 0.05) on its chemical composition and also on its flavor. The sensory evaluation attributes differed slightly with the overall acceptability (2.97 and 2.7 respectively for FED and CED samples). Though, the juice bitterness and color were likely the most affected by heat treatment, leading into the overall acceptability difference among the samples. Desert date juice could be an important candidate for healthier and functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this investigation is to examine the anticancer activities of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit extract with its biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against colon and liver cancer cells. B. aegyptiaca aqueous extract was fractionated according to polarity and by biosynthesized AgNP. The cytotoxicity of the extract, semi-purified fractions, and the AgNPs was examined on noncancerous cell lines. The safer fraction was subjected to ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS to identify the major active constituents. The anticancer activities of the nontoxic doses of all the used treatments were tested against HepG2 and CaCo2 cells. The nontoxic dose of the B. aegyptiaca (0.63 mg/ml) extract showed high anti-proliferative activities against HepG2 and CaCo2 with a percentage of 81 and 77%, respectively. The butanol fraction was safer than the other two fractions with 46.3 and 90.35% anti-proliferative activity against Caco2 and HepG2 cells, respectively. The nontoxic dose of AgNPs (0.63 mg/ml) inhibits both HepG2 and Caco2 cells with a percentage of 84.5 and 83.4%, respectively. In addition, AgNPs regulate the expression of certain genes with folding higher than that of crude extract. Saponin-coated AgNPs showed great abilities to select the most anticancer ingredient(s) from the B. aegyptiaca extract with a more safety pattern than the polarity gradient fractionation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Savanna ecosystems are increasingly pressured by climate and land-use changes, especially around populous areas such as the Mt. Kilimanjaro region. Savanna vegetation consists of grassland with isolated trees or tree groups and is therefore characterized by high spatial variation and patchiness of canopy cover and aboveground biomass. Both are major regulators for soil ecological properties and soil-atmospheric trace gas exchange (CO, NO, CH), especially in water-limited environments. Our objectives were to determine spatial trends in soil properties and trace gas fluxes during the dry season and to relate above- and belowground processes and attributes. We selected a Savanna plain with vertic soil properties, south east of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Three trees were chosen from each of the two most dominant species: the legume Acacia nilotica and the non-legume Balanites aegyptiaca. For each tree, we selected one transect with nine sampling points, up to a distance of 4 times the crown radius from the stem. At each sampling point, we measured carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content, δC of soil (0-10, 10-30 cm depth) and in plant biomass, soil C and N pools, water content, available nutrients, cation exchange capacity (CEC), temperature, pH, as well as root biomass and greenhouse-gas exchange. Tree species had no effect on soil parameters and gas fluxes under the crown. CEC, C, and N pools decreased up to 50% outside the crown-covered area. Tree leaf litter had a far lower C:N ratio than litter of the C grasses. δC in soil under the crown shifted about 15% in the direction of tree leaf litter δC compared to soil in open area reflecting the tree litter contribution to soil organic matter. The microbial C:N ratio and CO efflux were about 30% higher in the open area and strongly dependent on mineral N availability. This indicates N limitation and low microbial C use efficiency in the soil of open grassland areas. We conclude that the spatial structure of aboveground biomass in savanna ecosystems leads to a spatial redistribution of nutrients and thus C mineralization and sequestration. Therefore, the capability of savanna ecosystems to act as C sinks is both directly and indirectly dependent on the abundance of trees, regardless of their N-fixing status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt-tolerant plants are known to remove excess soluble salts from the soil and thus may be used in land reclamation. We studied the responses of the trees, Balanites aegyptiaca L. (Zygophyllaceae), as well as the Fabaceae, Acacia tortilis (Forssk) Hayne, and Tamarindus indica L. to salinity. Three experiments were conducted on germination, in the laboratory; seedling performance in a lath house; and the impact of the tree species on soil productivity in the field in Afar regional state along the Awash river, eastern Ethiopia. Mixtures of salts, composed of chlorides and sulfates, were tested at different concentrations in both germination and lath house experiments in randomized complete block designs. Seedling root collar diameter and height were measured every 2 weeks. Soil samples were collected from randomly selected pots to examine the effect of salinity on soil properties. The effects of trees on in situ soil productivity were studied by collecting 72 soil samples at different distances from the tree and different soil depths. The soil productivity index was calculated by summing the products of sufficiency of available water capacity, aeration, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, and the weighting factor for each layer. The study revealed that germination percentage and rate decreased significantly with increasing salt concentrations. The effects of the three tree species on soil properties were significantly different at 12.2 dS m salinity level compared to the control. A. tortilis was the least salt sensitive. Balancing the key requirements of adequate germination and growth and the ability to reduce the salt concentration of the soil solution, B. aegyptiaca is the species with the most potential. Therefore, the study suggests to use B. aegyptiaca as agroforestry trees in the form of parkland in arid and semi-arid areas where salinity problems are prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca (Balanitaceae) is a drought-tolerant but salt-sensitive tree species distributed in the tropical and arid lands in Africa and Asia. The tree contains many secondary metabolites and a high percentage of oil in the kernels that can be used for biodiesel production. This study aimed to establish an in vitro propagation system of two B. aegyptiaca provenances (El-Kharga and Wadi El-Alaqi) from nodal and cotyledon explants. The explants were placed on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) for shoot induction. BA was significantly more effective in shoot induction from nodal explants and treatment with BA also resulted in higher regeneration rates of about 40-60 % of adventitious shoots on cotyledon explants, whereas on TDZ-containing medium slightly higher shoot numbers per explant but a negative effect on shoot length were recorded. Rooting was achieved in 40-60 % of the shoots on medium containing between 1.2 and 4.8 µM indole-3-butyric acid. Three different Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains (EHA105, GV3101, and LBA4404) harboring the plasmid pCAMBIA2301 containing the nptII marker and gus reporter genes were used to establish a transformation system in B. aegyptiaca. Strain GV3101 resulted in the highest survival rates and highest number of explants positive in the GUS assay. This selected A. tumefaciens strain was used to introduce pBinAR containing the sequence encoding ERD10 (early responsive to dehydration 10) to produce salt-tolerant B. aegyptiaca plants. The presence of the ERD10 and the nptII gene were detected by PCR in transformed B. aegyptiaca plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca is used traditionally in India to treat psychoses, epilepsy, and rheumatism. The present study is aimed at investigating the anticonvulsant activity of chloroform and hydromethanolic extract of the stem bark of B. aegyptiaca which is commonly used in the Indian traditional medicine. The anticonvulsant activity of the extract was evaluated using Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) - induced convulsions in mice and maximum electro shock (MES) -induced convulsions and lithium- pilocarpine induced status epilepticus in rats. In MES Model, both the extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg p.o.) significantly reduced the duration of hind limb extension. In the PTZ model, both extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg p.o.) delayed the latency to myoclonic spasm and clonic convulsions significantly. In Lithium-pilocarpine model, chloroform extract (100 mg) and hydromethanolic extract (100 & 200 mg) delayed the latency to rearing with forelimb clonus significantly. The results indicate that the extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca possess biologically active compound(s) that have anticonvulsant properties, which support the ethnomedicinal use of the plant as antiepileptic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axillary shoot bud multiplication as a safest mode of micropropagation to obtain clonal progeny was revealed through the application of molecular marker technique in Balanites aegyptiaca. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to evaluate the genetic constancy of micropropagated plantlets chosen from a clonal collection of shoots that originated from mature nodal explants (mother plant). Out of 20 ISSR primers screened, ten primers yielded reliable and reproducible patterns of amplified products in all the tested plants. In this study, on an average, 11.7 bands were amplified per primer. A total of 117 bands were scored for the tissue culture-raised plantlets; 115 amplification products were monomorphic and 2 bands were polymorphic. Based on the ISSR band data, 98.2 % genetic uniformity was detected among the regenerants. Thus, the amplification products validated that the plantlets were true-to-type in morphological or growth characteristics when compared with the mother plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile. is one of the priority indigenous fruit trees for rural communities in the West African Sahel. As part of a participatory tree domestication program in Niger, phenotypic variation in fruit and seed morphology was assessed in four natural populations in eastern Niger. Measured variables were weight of the fruit, seed coat and kernel; length and width of the fruit and seed (25 trees per population, 30 fruits per tree). Derived variables were the tree's coefficient of variation (CVs) for each measured variable, and two sets of factor scores from principal components analysis of tree means and CVs. ANOVA indicated significant variation in all measured variables due to trees nested in populations. ANOVA and simple linear regression indicated significant geographic variation in some variables: the drier parts of the sample region tended to have heavier fruits and kernels, longer/narrower seeds, and lower within-tree variability in fruit and seed width. Length and width were strongly correlated between fruits and seeds, fruit weight was moderately correlated with seed dimensions, and CVs of fruit weight and width were moderately correlated with the CV of seed width. Some hypotheses for the geographic variation are presented, and some practical implications of the correlations for tree domestication programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The symbiotic biological N2fixation by Acacia senegal was estimated using the 15N natural abundance ( δ 15N) procedure on eight provenances collected from different environments and soil types grown in a clay soil in the Blue Nile region, Sudan. Balanites aegyptiaca (a non-legume) was used as a non-N2-fixing reference plant to allow 15N-based estimates of the proportion of the Acacia N derived from atmospheric N2 (Ndfa) to be calculated. Results show variation in leaf δ 15N between A. senegal and the reference plant and among years. The relative δ 15N values (‰) were higher in B. aegyptiaca than in the N2-fixing acacia provenances. Provenances originally collected from clay soils fixed little N in the first year, but the amount fixed increased as the trees aged. All provenances showed a decrease in δ 15N with age. The Ndfa varied between 24% (Mazmoom provenance) and 61% (Rahad provenance) 4 years after planting. There was no significant difference in δ 15N between provenance groups based on soil type or rainfall at original growing site. The amount of Ndfa increased significantly with age in all provenances. The above-ground contribution of fixed N to foliage growth in a 4-year-old A. senegal was highest in the Rahad sand–soil provenance (46.7 kg N ha−1) and lowest in the Mazmoom clay-soil provenance (28.7 kg N ha−1). Our study represents the first use of the δ 15N method for estimating the N input by A. senegal to the clay plain soils of the gum belt in the Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca Del. kernels were chemically,physically and morphologically characterized. Crude oil (49.0%) andcrude protein (32.4%) were the two major constituents of the kernels.Phytic acid content was relatively high compared to other legumes. Incontrast, antitryptic activities of the kernel flours were very low.Sapogenin contents of the full fat, defatted and testa flours were 1.5, 2.7and 3.0%, respectively. The hardness of the kernel was found to be about10.4 × 105 N/m2, which was somewhat high. The morphologicalstructure of the kernel using a scanning electron microscope revealedthat the protein matrix was embedded in a lake of oil droplets. Oilrecovery, as a function of pressing time, pressure, temperature and particlesize was investigated. With increasing temperature up to 70 °C at 400 bar, for 120 min, an oil recovery of 79.4% wasobtained. Using an expeller at 115 °C, about 85% of thekernel oil was recovered. The reduction of particle size had a negativeeffect on oil recovery under the same conditions. The fatty acidcomposition was not affected by the pressing temperature up to 115 °C. The total amount of the unsaturated fatty acids was found tobe up to 74.8% (50 °C) and 75.1% (115 °C)of the total fatty acids content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six flavonoid glycosides: quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside; 3-glucoside, 3-rutinoside, 3-7-diglucoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside of isorhamnetin were extracted and identified from the leaves and branches of Egyptian material of Balanites aegyptiaca. Only isorhamnetin: 3-rutinoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside were recorded from the fruits of the same plant.-Phytochemical aspects of Balanites aegyptiaca and some genera of Zygophylaceae s. l. viz. Nitraria, Fagonia, Zygophyllum, Seetzenia and Tribulus support its affinities with that family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]