Comments on: Kudzu Ethanol Plant Startup in Tennesee, Cows Will Love It

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:48:01 +0000

@christphrmurray@yahoo.com: Thanks for the comments. Where do u suggest we start and how many parking lots would be needed. Kudzu has an extremely deep root system and once the roots get establised be hard to dig up. If u destroy the roots, u also destroy the plant. U would not have to leave cuttings, cold weather would kill the leaves, but warm weather brings it to life the next summer. The kudzu program has been completely researched and the harvesting of the plant is very difficult. If Congress does not approve the ethanol subsidies this year, will be tough road for ethanol producers.

By: chris

chris — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 06:25:21 +0000

why not try planting it in old unused parking lots put a layer of topsoil 3 feet deep and let it grow itll become root bound but if you havest it and leave a few cutings to regrow it should work.

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:01:05 +0000

Utilize Part 1 << Kiki Brown Bear: Thank u for your comments.

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:59:16 +0000

@Jason Jackson: Thank u for your comments. Kudzu has a lot of potential for making ethanol, but it is just not feasible due to difficulty in harvesting the plant.

By: Utilize Part 1 « Kiki Brown Bear

Utilize Part 1 « Kiki Brown Bear — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:39:05 +0000

[...] nutrients – something like 24% protein) and has uses medicinally. It can be processed into an ethanol, paper and even a fiber for weaving (which is why we love it). Kimonos in ancient Japan before they [...]

By: Jason Jackson

Jason Jackson — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:28:39 +0000

There are other benefits as well, such as According to the US Dept. of Agriculture,

“A separate study by Ziska and colleagues also found that wild kudzu—an aggressive vine species imported from Asia to control soil erosion—stands in Alabama and Georgia could produce 5 to 10 tons of carbohydrate per hectare, which would rival carbohydrate production from corn and sugar cane fields, but without the costs associated with planting, fertilizer and pesticides. This would rival carbohydrate production from corn and sugar cane fields, but without the costs associated with planting, fertilizer and pesticides.”

Also, other plants are an option too when it comes to low, or poor quality water, and high yields, such as Arundo donax:

“Arundo donax – 11,000 L/ha
Corn – 4,400 L/ha
Sugarcane – 8,800 L/ha
Switchgrass – 4,600 L/ha”

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:57:47 +0000

@WDALUSA: Thank you for your comments and adding to this discussion. If you have any more information you would like to add to these thoughts, please do.

By: WDALUSA

WDALUSA — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:00:51 +0000

Regarding Charlotte Fairchild’s comment “Kudzu was used as a food source during the Great Leap Forward in China, but that is off the record. It isn’t documented anywhere in China.”, the reason is that the records of the Great Leap Forward or the Great Cultural Revolution are banned by the Chinese communist regime from publishing, and Chinese scholars are discouraged from conducting any research on those periods of social upheavals. I worked in the academic circle in China before I came to North America, so I knew such rules existed from the propaganda department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s central government. Because once those records were publicized, the miserable memories of the Chinese people who were deeply suffered from the terrible leftist policies of the CCP in the 60′s would re-surface. The government knows it is not ideal to the CCP’s power and control if people keep coming across with the records in the 60′s. All the government endeavors is for people to forget those atrocious records. They have became an untouchable taboo of the CCP. The records have been removed as completely as possible from the official documents or censored from the public domains. This is why you do not see them almost anywhere in China.

By: Johnny Manley

Johnny Manley — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:00:13 +0000

There is another issue with Kudzu, it is classified as a noxious weed in many states and import is prohibited. I believe this was discussed already and perhaps it was suggested the laws could be repealed eventually; however, I would expect the BIG Oil lobby to vehemently oppose it. Overcoming these obstacles, I would definitely consider raising Kudzu plantations along with jatropha curcas since we can use the ethanol to produce biodiesel.

By: charlotte fairchild

charlotte fairchild — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:09:48 +0000

Kudzu was used as a food source during the Great Leap Forward in China, but that is off the record. It isn’t documented anywhere in China. A scientist told me that scientists told her while she was there. If you ask Chinese people how they manage kudzu, they will tell you no one poisons it. It is managed by digging the roots and using them for food and arrowroot type thickeners. Juanita Baldwin, and William Shurtleff are the main sources of English research with recipes as well as assays from the US Agriculture Dept. I do not work with 4H yet. I have talked to several people.