University of Hohenheim

About: University of Hohenheim is a education organization based out in Stuttgart, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Soil water. The organization has 8585 authors who have published 16406 publications receiving 567377 citations.

Jatropha curcas, a promising crop for the generation of biodiesel and value-added coproducts

Abstract: The review highlights the specific features of the Jatropha curcas plant and its potential for the production of biofuel, protein concentrates as livestock feed and value-added products that could enhance the economic viability of Jatropha seed oil-based biodiesel production. The roles of the plant in carbon capture, enhancing socio-economic conditions, food production in the tropical regions, and influencing microclimate, vegetation and soil quality are discussed. The paper also gives a comparative account of the toxic and non-toxic genotypes of J. curcas from the point of view of their physical and chemical properties and their potential for biodiesel and livestock feed production. Future areas of research are also presented.

Screening of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Cultivars for Their Contents of Flavonol O- and Xanthone C-Glycosides, Anthocyanins, and Pectin

Abstract: With respect to their browning potential and in consideration of a combined recovery of pectin and phenolic compounds, peels of 14 cultivars and the flesh of nine cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits were analyzed for their contents of flavonol O- and xanthone C-glycosides by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)−diode array detection−electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). While total amounts of up to 4860 mg/kg dry matter demonstrated the peels to be a rich source of phenolic compounds, only traces could be detected in the flesh. The profile of flavonol glycosides of the peels proved to be highly characteristic and may therefore serve as a tool for authenticity control of mango puree concentrate, which is often produced from unpeeled fruits and represents an important intermediate for the production of mango nectars. Two compounds were isolated by preparative HPLC, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of ESI-MS as well as NMR spectroscopy, establishing the two...

Release of plant-borne flavonoids into the rhizosphere and their role in plant nutrition

Abstract: Plants release a multitude of organic compounds into the rhizosphere, some of which are flavonoids. These products of secondary metabolism are mainly studied for their antioxidant properties and for their role in the establishment of rhizobium-legume symbiosis; however, it has been recently demonstrated that flavonoids can also affect nutrient availability through soil chemical changes. This review will give an overview of the types and amounts of flavonoids released by roots of different plant species, as well as summarize the available knowledge on root exudation mechanisms. Subsequently, factors influencing their release will be reported, and the methodological approaches used in the literature will be critically described. Finally, the direct contribution of plant-borne flavonoids on the nitrogen, phosphorous and iron availability into the rhizosphere will be discussed.

Evenness drives consistent diversity effects in intensive grassland systems across 28 European sites

Abstract: 1 Ecological and agronomic research suggests that increased crop diversity in species-poor intensive systems may improve their provision of ecosystem services. Such general predictions can have critical importance for worldwide food production and agricultural practice but are largely untested at higher levels of diversity. 2 We propose new methodology for the design and analysis of experiments to quantify diversity-function relationships. Our methodology can quantify the relative strength of inter-specific interactions that contribute to a functional response, and can disentangle the separate contributions of species richness and relative abundance. 3 Applying our methodology to data from a common experiment at 28 European sites, we show that the above-ground biomass of four-species mixtures (two legumes and two grasses) in intensive grassland systems was consistently greater than that expected from monoculture performance, even at high productivity levels. The magnitude of this effect generally resulted in transgressive overyielding. 4 A combined analysis of first-year results across sites showed that the additional performance of mixtures was driven by the number and strength of pairwise inter-specific interactions and the evenness of the community. In general, all pairwise interactions contributed equally to the additional performance of mixtures; the grass-grass and legume-legume interactions were as strong as those between grasses and legumes. 5 The combined analysis across geographical and temporal scales in our study provides a generality of interpretation of our results that would not have been possible from individual site analyses or experimentation at a single site. 6 Our four-species agricultural grassland communities have proved a simple yet relevant model system for experimentation and development of methodology in diversity-function research. Our study establishes that principles derived from biodiversity research in extensive, semi-natural grassland systems are applicable in intensively managed grasslands with agricultural plant species.