Hi Keith and All ;
> Yes! Interested. So is the archives.
Let's properly credit the authors : "Methanol
Production and Use", edited by Wu-Hsun Cheng and
Harold H. Kung. ISBN 0-8247-9223-8. Chapter 7,
Agriculture and Methanol, about 8 pages on this topic.
Then there is another section on single cell protein
using bacteria on methanol substrate, sewage
treatment, solvent/cosolvent, antifreeze, methanol
conversion to other chemicals.
"Sunflower is one of the rare C3 plants that is
adapted to very high light intensities and conditions
that would otherwise cause high rates of
photorespiration under clear afternoon skies. "
Possibly a crop selection factor in the 600,000 ht
project in Chiang Mai.
"For responsive crops that are inexpensive
commodities, technologies that decrease irrigation
requirements without stress by inhibiting
photorespiration may be of benefit to the grower. An
economical means of inhibition of photorespiration has
been sought for decades, and methanol may well provide
the solution."
"Plants have a limited capability for absorbtion of
aqueous nutrients through the foliage, but with the
addition of methanol, penetration is enhanced.... the
uptake of methanol by plants in light leaves no
significant residual methanol above baseline as
detectable by chromotography within 15-30 minutes of
penetration. Treatment with methanol is therefore an
inexpensive, safe, and effective means of providing
plants with a source of fixed carbon and carbon
dioxide. The metabolism of methanol is a natural
consequence of the degradation of cell wall materials,
particularly pectin, in plants: hence the early
nomenclature, wood alcohol."
"Briefly stated in field terms, methanol treatments
are a means of placing carbon directly into the
foliage. High light intensity is necessary to drive
photosynthesis at rates necessary to process the high
levels of carbon dioxide presented by methanol."
"Several field crops that are particularly responsive
to treatment with methanol in Arizona desert regions
include watermelon, tomato, strawberry, eggplant,
chili, and lettuce. These plants have C3 metabolism
in common, but they are also misplaced plants in the
desert. ... Under summer conditions in the dessert,
these plants become highly photorespiratory. ...
Environments, such as northern latitudes, where
optimal growth of plants is achieved normally will not
benefit from methanol treatments. Under stressless
conditions, plants do not exceed exceed optimal growth
potentials by the addition of methanol."
"Methanol is the least expensive of industrially
manufactured fixed-carbon nutrient sources for plants.
"
And a word of common sense :
"Photosynthesis and photorespiration are of the
highest orders of scientific complexity and the
application of methanol to crops poses needs for
mechanistic studies as well as continual practical
considerations and reduction of safety and handling
risks. Therefore, it should be precautioned that end
users should not rush out to spray methanol."
A source of more info :
Estrella Mountain Community College Center, AZ, fax
(602) 935-8060. Some studies with methanol were done
there in summer 1993. Maybe someone could get data
for posting on JtF.
Good stuff.
Best Regards,
Peter G.
Thailand
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