ANALYSIS OF THE CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF A TYPIC HAPLUDULT SOIL UNDER FOREST SYSTEMS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical quality of a Typic Hapludult soil under secondary forest (capoeira), pasture and three leguminous tree species: Acacia auriculiformis, Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia and Inga edulis, in Conceição de Macabú County, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, implemented in December 1998. Soil samples from the 0-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m layers were collected and analyzed in July/2015. The C content in the 0.10 m layer was higher in capoeira and lower in the pasture. The CECef and CECpH=7 values and the N, P, Ca, Mg and K levels were lower in pasture, higher in Acacia auriculiformis or capoeira, and intermediate in Inga edulis and Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia. The chemical variables regarding the vegetation cover generally had the lowest values in the pasture, the highest in the Acacia auriculiformis or capoeira, and intermediate values in Inga edulis and Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia. It was concluded that revegetation leads to changes in the superficial layer of the soil which make its attributes closer to those of capoeira and further away from those of pasture, indicating an increase in quality to support the functioning of a forest ecosystem, despite the worsening of some Agronomic quality indicators.

Koroch (Pongamia pinnata): A Promising Unexploited Resources for the Tropics and Subtropics

The demand of petroleum fuel is increasing day by day. To meet up the energy demand, people of developing countries like Bangladesh basically used energy from indigenous sources, which are reducing quickly. Hence, it should be emphasized to explore unconventional fuel to overwhelm the crisis of petroleum fuels. Koroch (Pongamia pinnata L. Pierre) is a quick-growing leguminous tree that has the ability to grow on marginal land. Higher oil yield as well as physicochemical properties increases the suitability of using Pongamia as a promising substitute for supplying feedstock of biofuel production. Besides biofuel production, P. pinnata has multipurpose uses as traditional medicine to animal feed, bio-pesticides, and bio-fertilizers. A better understanding and knowledge on the ecological distribution, botanical characteristics, physiology, and mode of reproduction along with physicochemical properties, and biosynthesis of oil is essential for sustainable production of biofuel from P. pinnata. In this chapter, we discuss overall biological and physicochemical properties as well as cultivation and propagation methods that provide a fundamentals for exploiting and improving of P. pinnata as a promising renewable source of biofuel feedstock.

Nutrient status of natural and healthy sissoo forest and declining plantation sissoo forest (Dalbergia sissoo, Roxb.) in Nepal

Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo, Roxb.) is a nitrogen fixing leguminous tree species with natural habitat in the lowland region of Nepal called Terai up to an altitude of 1,000 m. For the last few years, this economically important tree species has been dying rapidly in the plantation forests. On the contrary, its status in the natural forest in riverine areas has been unknown yet. The paper compares the nutrient status of natural and healthy sissoo forest with declining plantation sissoo one. It is evident from this study that both stands do not differ very much with respect to their soil and plant nutrients. Therefore it was concluded that the waterlogging of soil was the main factor responsible for the decline of plantation sissoo forest.

Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata): A Sustainable Alternative for Biofuel Production and Land Restoration in Indonesia

Indonesia has a large area of degraded land, i.e. 30 million ha, which could potentially be utilized for biofuel plantations. The leguminous tree pongamia (Pongamia pinnata syn. Milettia pinnata) could be utilized to produce biofuel while restoring degraded land. Here, we explore the potential of pongamia as a source of biofuel and for restoring degraded land in Indonesia. Pongamia occurs across Indonesia, in Sumatra, Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. It grows to a height of 15–20 m and can grow in a range of environmental conditions. Its seeds can generate up to 40% crude oil by weight. It can help to restore degraded land and improve soil properties. Pongamia also provides wood, fodder, medicine, fertilizer and biogas. Therefore, as a multipurpose species, pongamia holds great potential to combat Indonesia’s energy crisis and to restore much of the degraded land.