Allometric Models for Estimating Aboveground Biomass in Short Rotation Crops of Acacia Species in Two Different Sites in Chile

We evaluated the ability of different allometric models to estimate the biomass production of short-rotation woody crops of Acacia dealbata, A. mearnsii and A. melanoxylon. Models considered the adjustment and validation of biomass functions and biological restrictions, such as the use of additive components of the biomass (stem, branches, and leaves). Adjustments of linear and nonlinear models of the three acacia species—established in two locations and of three densities in southern Chile—were utilized. Systems of equations were adjusted to guarantee the addition of the biomass components and the trees’ total biomass. The selection of models was performed based on their goodness of fit and predictive quality. Methods that accounted for the correlation between biomass components granted an additively consistent equations system with efficient estimates and reliable prediction intervals.

Evaluation of in vitro digestibility and pH of Acacia seed pods (Acacia sp.)

This study aimed to determine the rumen fluid’s in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in-vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and pH of different species Acacia seed pods as a single feed ingredient. The Acacia species in this study were Acacia mangium, Acacia auriculiformis, and Acacia crassicarpa. The method used was in vitro two-stages with the first 48 hours of incubation (the rumen) and the second 48 hours of incubation (post-rumen), and analyses of pH. The research design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments and 5 replications based on the Acacia species. The data were analysed with oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT). The results showed that IVDMD stage one was 34.59-37.59%; IVOMD stage one was 38.66-43.06%. Stage two of IVDMD was 58.02-59.23%; stage two of IVOMD was 51.67-55.01% and rumen fluid pH were 6.58-7.02. Different Acacia seed pods had significant differences in IVDMD and IVOMD stage one in the rumen and stage two in the post-rumen (P<0.05), but not in the pH value (P>0.05). We concluded that different acacia seed pods had different digestibility values in the rumen and post-rumen. However, it does not affect the rumen acidity.

Effectiveness of Gum Arabic in Diabetes and its Complications: A Narrative Review

Gum Arabic (GA) is a gummy exudation from Acacia species, rich in soluble fibers. It is a dietary fiber used traditionally by the natives of many countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, and India as therapeutic natural product for treating various diseases including kidney diseases, impotence, obesity, and epilepsy. Diabetes represent a global health problem causing many complications and health risk to people of different ages. The current study aimed at identifying the role of Gum Arabic in treating diseases especially diabetes. Many studies have been conducted on the role of Gum Arabic in experimentally induced diabetes as well as randomized clinical studies. This narrative review was written based on a database search in common libraries such as PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus. The libraries were searched for English articles published between 1995 and 2020 focusing on the role of Gum Arabic in different preclinical and clinical trials of early and advanced level of diabetes. Keywords: Gum Arabic, diabetes, animals, human, nanoparticles

Temporal and Spatial Changes in Phyllosphere Microbiome of Acacia Trees Growing in Arid Environments

Background: The evolutionary relationships between plants and their microbiomes are of high importance to the survival of plants in general and even more in extreme conditions. Changes in the plant's microbiome can affect plant development, growth, fitness, and health. Along the arid Arava, southern Israel, acacia trees (Acacia raddiana and Acacia tortilis) are considered keystone species. In this study, we investigated the ecological effects of plant species, microclimate, phenology, and seasonality on the epiphytic and endophytic microbiome of acacia trees. One hundred thirty-nine leaf samples were collected throughout the sampling year and were assessed using 16S rDNA gene amplified with five different primers (targeting different gene regions) and sequenced (150 bp paired-end) on an Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform.Results: Epiphytic bacterial diversity indices (Shannon–Wiener, Chao1, Simpson, and observed number of operational taxonomic units) were found to be nearly double compared to endophyte counterparts. Epiphyte and endophyte communities were significantly different from each other in terms of the composition of the microbial associations. Interestingly, the epiphytic bacterial diversity was similar in the two acacia species, but the canopy sides and sample months exhibited different diversity, whereas the endophytic bacterial communities were different in the two acacia species but similar throughout the year. Abiotic factors, such as air temperature and precipitation, were shown to significantly affect both epiphyte and endophytes communities. Bacterial community compositions showed that Firmicutes dominate A. raddiana, and Proteobacteria dominate A. tortilis; these bacterial communities consisted of only a small number of bacterial families, mainly Bacillaceae and Comamonadaceae in the endophyte for A. raddiana and A. tortilis, respectively, and Geodematophilaceae and Micrococcaceae for epiphyte bacterial communities, respectively. Interestingly, ~60% of the obtained bacterial classifications were unclassified below family level (i.e., “new”).Conclusions: These results shed light on the unique desert phyllosphere microbiome highlighting the importance of multiple genotypic and abiotic factors in shaping the epiphytic and endophytic microbial communities. This study also shows that only a few bacterial families dominate both epiphyte and endophyte communities, highlighting the importance of climate change (precipitation, air temperature, and humidity) in affecting arid land ecosystems where acacia trees are considered keystone species.

Avances en la estrategia de mejoramiento genético para especies del género Acacia en la zona Centro Sur de Chile = Acacia species genetic improvement strategy advances central southern Chile

En este trabajo se presentan los aspectos generales de la estrategia de mejoramiento genético formulada para especies del género Acacia en Chile. También se analizan y discuten los primeros resultados de 2 ensayos de progenies de 6 años, San Antonio de Elocoyan (A. dealbata) y Alhuemanque (A. melanoxylon), los cuales fueron establecidos durante el año 2000, en el marco de la implementación de la estrategia de mejoramiento para estas especies. En el caso de A. dealbata, atendiendo a su menor edad de rotación, se propone una selección a nivel de procedencias, familias e individuos, de modo de establecer una segunda generación de mejoramiento genético y seleccionar material superior para clonación y masificación de ganancias genéticas. Para A. melanoxylon se entregan solo antecedentes preliminares que deberán ser ratificados a una edad posterior.

A perceptive study on carbon sequestration potential of Acacia catechu in the Mukundara National Park Rajasthan-India

The carbon sequestration potential of an unmanaged and previously unstudied Acacia catechu in the Mukundara National Park Rajasthan, by estimating the total aboveground biomass contained in the forest. It turned into observed that the biomass, above ground comprising of stems, branches, and foliage, holds a total of 200 tons per hectare, foremost to a valued 100 tons of carbon being deposited per hectare aboveground. Acacia species consequently has the potential to play a significant function within the mitigation of climate change. The relation among the biomass, M, of each component (stems, branches, and foliage) and the diameter d, of the plant become also studied, by means of fitting allometric equations of the form M = αdβ. It was observed that all components fit this power law relation very well (R2 > 0.7), chiefly the stems (R2 > 0.8) and branches (R2 > 0.9) for which the relation is found to be almost linear.