3
Future Directions and Prospect
The genus Prosopis are among the world’s most damaging invasive species. Invasive species can cause ecological, economic, and social impacts and are responsible
for global change. The highly invasive nature of Prosopis includes different factors:
the production of large numbers of seeds; rapid growth; the species can grow in a
wide range of conditions from 50 to 1500 mm mean annual rainfall and in temperatures as high as 50
C (air temperature) and 70
C (soil temperature); and they are
not limited by alkaline, saline, or infertile soils and by allelopathic and
allelochemical effects from other plant species [23, 82].
Prosopis species, such as Prosopis juliflora, have colonized several countries
from America, Asia, and Australia. Due to their invasive character, each country has
used different methods and strategies to eradicate it. The control of Prosopis species
includes different management techniques globally, presenting advantages and disadvantages: (i) biological control, (ii) mechanical control, (iii) chemical control, (iv)
utilization, and (v) cultural control/other control [23, 82]. However, these techniques
have been expensive and ineffective.
What is more, it is important to understand the dynamics of invasive species to
reduce their negative impacts and maximize their benefits. Several Prosopis
species have substantial impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and local
and regional economies in their native terrain; others provide multiple benefits to
local communities [82].
Prosopis juliflora can be used to make stock-proof living fences, and charcoal and
biochar in India Bartlett, Milliken, and Parmar [83]. The authors highlighted it as a
potential solution to decrease the impact on rural livelihood and to reduce its
prevalence and further spread. These actions can also provide additional local
employment opportunities. In Kenya, considerable effort was taken to improve the
policies and educate the population to use Prosopis species. They created a cookbook to teach the communities how to adapt its use as a flour [23]. Communities in
Kenya have benefited from the sale of charcoal and the use of Prosopis pods for
fodder, improving the local economy by US$1.5 million per year [84]. In South
Africa, one company uses the pods to make medicines able to control the blood sugar
levels in humans. The company’s annual profit generated from local sales is US$
106,000 [85].
Several applications concerning Prosopis juliflora have been previously reported
in the technology fields of energy, agriculture, biotechnology, pharmacology, food,
cosmetology, and pharmaceutical [24, 52]. The species provides several properties
and services, from primary consumption to specific applications; for instance, its
wood has been used as a primary source of fuel for subsistence, due to its high
calorific value, low ash production, and its ability to burn well even when it is still
fresh [13, 86].
The potential of P. juliflora as a source of animal feed has also been explored;
however, caution should be used concerning its constitution, since feed comprised
exclusively or mostly of P. juliflora parts are not safe [87], due to its neurotoxic
effects, which are related to its piperidine alkaloids: juliprosopine and juliprosine,
532
G. A. de Brito Damasceno et al.
Future Directions and Prospect
The genus Prosopis are among the world’s most damaging invasive species. Invasive species can cause ecological, economic, and social impacts and are responsible
for global change. The highly invasive nature of Prosopis includes different factors:
the production of large numbers of seeds; rapid growth; the species can grow in a
wide range of conditions from 50 to 1500 mm mean annual rainfall and in temperatures as high as 50
C (air temperature) and 70
C (soil temperature); and they are
not limited by alkaline, saline, or infertile soils and by allelopathic and
allelochemical effects from other plant species [23, 82].
Prosopis species, such as Prosopis juliflora, have colonized several countries
from America, Asia, and Australia. Due to their invasive character, each country has
used different methods and strategies to eradicate it. The control of Prosopis species
includes different management techniques globally, presenting advantages and disadvantages: (i) biological control, (ii) mechanical control, (iii) chemical control, (iv)
utilization, and (v) cultural control/other control [23, 82]. However, these techniques
have been expensive and ineffective.
What is more, it is important to understand the dynamics of invasive species to
reduce their negative impacts and maximize their benefits. Several Prosopis
species have substantial impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and local
and regional economies in their native terrain; others provide multiple benefits to
local communities [82].
Prosopis juliflora can be used to make stock-proof living fences, and charcoal and
biochar in India Bartlett, Milliken, and Parmar [83]. The authors highlighted it as a
potential solution to decrease the impact on rural livelihood and to reduce its
prevalence and further spread. These actions can also provide additional local
employment opportunities. In Kenya, considerable effort was taken to improve the
policies and educate the population to use Prosopis species. They created a cookbook to teach the communities how to adapt its use as a flour [23]. Communities in
Kenya have benefited from the sale of charcoal and the use of Prosopis pods for
fodder, improving the local economy by US$1.5 million per year [84]. In South
Africa, one company uses the pods to make medicines able to control the blood sugar
levels in humans. The company’s annual profit generated from local sales is US$
106,000 [85].
Several applications concerning Prosopis juliflora have been previously reported
in the technology fields of energy, agriculture, biotechnology, pharmacology, food,
cosmetology, and pharmaceutical [24, 52]. The species provides several properties
and services, from primary consumption to specific applications; for instance, its
wood has been used as a primary source of fuel for subsistence, due to its high
calorific value, low ash production, and its ability to burn well even when it is still
fresh [13, 86].
The potential of P. juliflora as a source of animal feed has also been explored;
however, caution should be used concerning its constitution, since feed comprised
exclusively or mostly of P. juliflora parts are not safe [87], due to its neurotoxic
effects, which are related to its piperidine alkaloids: juliprosopine and juliprosine,
532
G. A. de Brito Damasceno et al.