PROPERTIES OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA AND ITS POTENTIAL USES IN ASAL AREAS OF KENYA

Abstract

A  study  was  done  to  determine  the  potential  for  processing  and  using  prosopis juliflora  for  commercial  purpose.  The  effects  of  the  plant  on  the  soil  were evaluated  as  a  measure  of  determining  its  influence  on  the  environment. Preliminary analysis of three soils samples per site where showed that the highly infested  areas  had  higher  moisture  content  of  10.5+1.35%  and  was  significantly different at 5% level. The pH value of 8.7+1.03 was slightly lower compared to the low  infested  areas  and  was  not  significantly  different  at  5%  level.  However,  both soils  had  almost  the  same  bulk  density  and  ECE  of  1.1  g/cm3and  0.03  dm/S respectively. The soil calcium content of 0.88+0.009 mg/l in the high density area was significant low at 5% level whereas the organic carbon content of 1.13+0.027% was significantly high. No significant difference was observed for the magnesium, sodium, potassium, organic matter and phosphorus content at 5% l. Plant samples of prosopis juliflora were also tested for their nutritive values, especially the leaves, pods,  bark  and  roots.  Preliminary  results  showed  that  the  leaves  contain  the highest amount of calcium of 6.38+0.248%. However, the leaves are not consumed green by  the animals  indicating high toxicity. The pods, bark and roots were also found to contain significant proportions of calcium at 5% level. The different parts of  the  plant  had  relatively  lower  phosphorus  content  of  less  than  0.25%. Magnesium was higher in the bark at about 3.5% whereas potassium was higher in the pods at about 2%. Nitrogen was higher in the leaves at about 2.5% indicating the  suitability  of  the  plant  leaves  as  a  nitrogen  fixer  in  the  soil.  The  tissues  also showed  very  high  content  of  vitamin  C  especially  in  the  green  pods  (46.3+5.18 m/100g). Thus the pods, leaves and bark can be used as natural sources of vitamin C. The high ash content of 8.9+1.19% in the bark was significantly different at 5% level when compared to the content of the leaves but not other plant parts. This showed high roughage in the plant parts. The nutritive value of the pods showed their  high  potential  for  development  of  nutritive  products  including  juice,  wine, gum, powder, essential oils and beverages. The yield for aloe roots as fermenting agent was about 7.1% on 9th day in Prosopis extract having sugar media, 6.3% for yeast, Prosopis extract and honey on the sixth day and 6.1% for extract, sugar and baobab on the sixth day.