Pollinating tropical maize
When University of Illinois crop scientist Fred Below began growing tropical maize, the form of corn grown in the tropics, he was looking for novel genes for the utilization of nitrogen fertilizer and was hoping to discover information that could be useful to American corn producers.
Now, however, it appears that maize itself may prove to be the ultimate U.S. biofuels crop. Early research results show that tropical maize, when grown in the Midwest, requires few crop inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer, chiefly because it does not produce any ears…What it does produce, straight from the field with no processing, is 25 percent or more sugar in the forms of sucrose, fructose and glucose.
His early trials show that tropical maize requires much less nitrogen fertilizer than conventional corn, and that the stalks actually accumulate more sugar when less nitrogen is available. Nitrogen fertilizer is one of major costs of growing corn.
The tall stalks of tropical maize are so full of sugar that producers growing it for biofuel production will be able to supply a raw material at least one step closer to being turned into fuel than are ears of corn.
Yet another delightful example of setting out along one research path – searching for one sort of result – and discovering other results and uses which may be even more useful.
I don’t think Ive ever seen a Corn, soybean or wheatfield watered ever. Not once. I have seen fruit and vegetable fields watered, but never a grain field.
#32
That’s because for the most part, farmers rely on the rain to water their grain fields otherwise the irrigation costs would be too high.
#32, it depends where you saw them.
Next time on a coast-to-coast plane trip, check this out.
Near coasts, major rivers, you’ll see rectangles. There is enough rain to sustain. Because of the slow downward slope to the river, a farmer can pump water from the river to the high point in his land, and just let the water go back into the ground, and ultimately back to the river.
This is rare though – not a standard practice. Too much rain and you’ll actually get rotting wheat/corn/soy crops.
When flying about halfway between the Pacific & Atlantic, looking down, you’ll see huge circles. You can sometimes still see the rectangle plots, but the only thing growing is in circles.
The farmers pump the water from wells hundreds of feet down, and most of it is lost to evaporation in the air, so every year, more water is needed.
This is perfectly fertile land rendered useless w/o a steady water supply, that is fast disappearing. The midwest will be like the Sahara in a few more score years. The runaway effect has already started, it’s too late.
So imagine how a politician that wants to be elected, simply has to allow for more GM crops (need less water) and Ethanol subsidies, and suddenly farmers, on the brink of bankruptcy, have hope.
Hope is a powerful weapon.
32 – Greg, I’ve seen corn watered but not wheat. Never noticed soy in the fields.
There’s only a certain amount of energy hitting a square foot of earth per day. I’ve cleared trees, shrubs, and weeds, and I’d say the amount of “green material”, leaves and such, is about the same per acre no matter how far off the ground it is or the size of the plant.
Oil (for biodiesel) is not easy for plants to produce. Maybe sugar or cellulose is easier? I don’t know, but the effeciency of any of them is pretty low.
We may need to find or develop special plants for biofuel, but I’m doubtful. Funding to find plants, yes. For other purposes? Not yet.
#23, Dave,
Yup. Very little is mentioned about algae produced oil. Currently, an acre may produce up to 20,000 gallons of oil per year. Compare that to the highest producing plant, coconut, which has less than 1,000 gallons per acre/yr and only grows in the tropics.
The leftovers are high in protein and other nutrients and may be used for poultry and aquaculture feed. It may also be used as alcohol feed stock. It is a more complete fertilizer than commercial applications and breaks down to release nutrients better.
This is also an efficient method of using human and animal sewage as a reusable material. Because the algae likes CO2, recycling it from coal and gas generator stacks saves releasing it into the atmosphere.
#24, Jim,
Angel lives in Honduras. He knows something of the ecology in the tropics.
#32, Greg,
Around here in Indiana, quite a few farmers irrigate their corn fields. They will often more the sprinklers from one field to another depending upon if the are growing corn or soy. The irrigated fields can have triple the yield of non irrigated fields in a dry year. I’m not sure why they don’t irrigate the soy, maybe it is more drought tolerant.
#30 – tikiloungelizard,
And let’s not forget the huge subsidies for oil, even to ExxonMobil, even in years when they earn record profits. And, for oil, I believe we’re at around a half trillion dollars just for Iraq.
Ok
Dave the reason I spoke of sugar is that sugar is what ethanol is made of corn has to broken down to sugar before the yeast can eat sugar and make alcohol as a waste product but sugar can and sugar beets need nothing but a good squeeze to get sugar
Wong you obviously know nothing about what your talking about sugar beets grow under ground and actually take relatively few chemicals and pesticides to grow (sugar beets are the main source of sucrose/table sugar, now instead of sugar cane ) and they are currently grown at the equator (see Brazil ) So please read up before you jump on and berate people
#39, Paul
Angel is still correct. Maybe they are grown in Brazil, but as Angel pointed out, they use massive doses of pesticides. That sounds great if they allow the beets to grow, but not to other insects just trying to make a living. Including bees and other insects that pollinate crops and the insectivores that depend upon them.
As for growing underground, surely you jest. The root portion is underground. The actual plant, which converts sunlight into energy that is stored in the root, is above ground. No leaves for photosynthesis and no root.
#39
“Wong you obviously know nothing about what your talking about sugar beets grow under ground and actually take relatively few chemicals and pesticides to grow (sugar beets are the main source of sucrose/table sugar, now instead of sugar cane ) and they are currently grown at the equator (see Brazil ) So please read up before you jump on and berate people”
So the mice, the beetle larvae, the caterpillars, the ants and the worms will say “The sugar is underground and I don’t want to get dirty!”?
You think that a millimeter of skin is going to keep the plagues from eating all that sugary goodness eh?
You have no idea what the tropical fauna can do to a bag of sugar buried in the ground.
Mr fusion you are correct in that the plant is above ground but the root and harvested portion is underground which is what I was meaning
Mr Wong this link shows all the pests associated with growing sugar beets
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.sugarbeet.html
and this is the list of pests for corn
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.corn.html
you will see there are more insects that will eat the foliage of sugar beets but if you click through you will see a much simpler regimen of insecticides to control them and the regions that the insects occur vary widely ( just because it is a bug doesn’t mean it is going to eat your plant ) as proof fire ants don’t eat any plants they are totally carnivorous
Mr Wong get out of the city one in a while and actually talk to a farmer before you make claims that are unfounded
“you will see there are more insects that will eat the foliage of sugar beets ”
Ahh, but no leaves no photosithesis and if there is no photosinthesis then there’s no sugar.
“you will see a much simpler regimen of insecticides to control them and the regions that the insects occur vary widely ( just because it is a bug doesn’t mean it is going to eat your plant )”
Tell that to the bugs.
“as proof fire ants don’t eat any plants they are totally carnivorous”
Then why are they attacking soybean plantations? The backyard is infested with fireants and they will eat leftovers like bread or the meaty from the inside of the split coconuts. Also, I have enough farmer friends who simply have to grow the saplings in special containers to KEEP FIREANTS FROM EATING THE SAPLINGS, you sound like you simply read things and then say them.
“Mr Wong get out of the city one in a while and actually talk to a farmer before you make claims that are unfounded.”
I live in a coastal town surrounded by mountains and the Botanical Garden Lancetilla is in this town and there’s enough wildlife here.
My advise to you is to get your fat ass off the computer and do some actual research instead.