>Big thing that worries me about anything like this is that the >search for a "silver bullet" plant or the widespread introduction of >one that is deemed "better" might choke out natural flora. >Introduction of Jatropha looks like it would have a rather high >potential for doing just that, since it grows in such a variety of >soil conditions. > >I just have to look outside when I'm driving down the road to see an >example of something similar: huge, huge tracts of nothing but the >horrid kudzu vine. Imported into this area for the railroad system, >it took hold rather well and thrived. It's also now threatening to >choke off local vegetation, and even swallow homes; could Jatropha >one day do this? > >Just my caution and pessimism. > >Peace >-Kurt
Kudzu is excellent fodder for grazing animals, high protein, as good as alfalfa and more productive. Good pasture, and it makes good hay. It's a legume and fixes a lot of N,generally a soil improver. It's a deep-rooter and brings up a lot of minerals from the deep subsoil. It produces large, starchy tubers, widely used as food in the East and elsewhere in the tropics. It's also excellent at stabilising steep slopes, and as a general anti-erosion crop. The best way to eradicate it is to turn it into, first, beef, and second, pork. After the cattle are done, the pigs will root the rest out in search of the tubers, manuring as they go, leaving very fertile soil for the next crop. Americans and also Australians seem to hate the stuff, but where I've seen it growing wild in the East it has not been a pest. I've never heard it referred to as a pest here. Best Keith _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
