94 / 2016-06-28 17:36:26

Phyto –toxic effect of the Invasive Species

Capacity of soils inhabited by Prosopis juliflora. (Mesquite) to support seed germination of the edible species Portulaca oleracea and to improve soil fertility was investigated. Soil samples were collected randomly from under tree crowns and about 200 m away from tree patch for laboratory analysis to determine some nutrient concentrations in addition to WHC, and also for germination trials of Portulaca oleracea seeds. P. juliflora significantly (p<0.05) and (p<0.01) raised S.P, N and P contents of the soil that it colonizes, and also raised (p<0.05) E.C, Ca, Na and WHC. But seeds of P. oleracea completely failed to germinate in soil colonized by the invasive P. juliflora (germination % is 0.00). P. juliflora improves soil fertility for the sake of its own, while the neighboring uncovered areas are losing their fertility. This situation is in favor of the spread of the invasive, phyto-toxic species Prosopis sp. throughout Sudan whose majority of land areas is agricultural, forest or grazing areas.