Plants with economic potential
Plants with economic potential refer to various species that can be cultivated or processed to fulfill specific market needs, particularly in the context of creating valuable products. These plants, while they may not always be cost-effective, hold promise for commercial viability with advancements in agricultural practices and processing technologies. The economic feasibility of these plants can be influenced by global market conditions, competition from other products, and external factors like natural disasters or economic shifts.
Among notable examples is guayule, a shrub native to the deserts of the southwestern United States, which is recognized for its ability to produce hypoallergenic latex used in medical devices. Jojoba, another economically promising plant, yields oil that is stable and has applications in cosmetics and potential as a biofuel. Similarly, plants like hesperaloe and kenaf provide fibers suitable for various high-value products, including paper and building materials, while lesquerella offers unique seed oils that could replace imports like castor oil.
As the demand for sustainable resources grows, research into alternative biofuels from these plants, alongside innovations in agronomy, is fostering interest in their potential economic impact. These plants not only contribute to the economy but also offer environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional petrochemicals. Overall, the exploration of plants with economic potential reflects an intersection of agriculture, industry, and sustainability efforts.
Plants with economic potential
Categories: Agriculture; economic botany and plant uses
There are some plants that, because of their unique products, appear to fulfill an economic need. However, these plants may not do so in a cost-effective manner. With the development of improved agronomic practices and plant-processing methods, which lower the cost of production, the economic potential of some plants may eventually be realized.
Another factor that may affect a plant’s economic potential is the availability and price of competing products on the world market. This factor is beyond the control of domestic agronomists. Drastic changes in world conditions, such as in times of natural disaster, severe economic recession, or wartime, can have a dramatic impact on the economic feasibility of natural resources. Crops with economic potential may move in and out of economically favorable conditions as world markets change and new markets develop.
Guayule
Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) is a shrubby member of the Compositae family native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Other species of this genus are found in all regions of the Americas. Guayule is one of more than two thousand plant species that can potentially be used to produce latex and rubber. Only guayule and its chief competitor, Hevea brasiliensis, have been used to produce commercial quantities of rubber.
Although commercial production of guayule-derived rubber dates back to the 1920s, when Continental Rubber Company produced small quantities of latex and rubber from guayule plants grown in Arizona and California, it was not until the Emergency Rubber Project during World War II that large-scale production of guayule rubber commenced. With the US economy on a wartime footing and with supplies of imported Hevea rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) becoming uncertain, US Code Title 7, Section 171 authorized the US Department of Agriculture to acquire the technology of the Continental Rubber Company, plant up to 500,000 acres of guayule, and develop factories for the production of guayule-based rubber. With the end of World War II and the reestablishment of the Hevea rubber supply from Asia, guayule-based rubber was no longer economically competitive. The unfavorable price difference between guayule-based rubber and Hevea-based rubber remained unchanged after the war, even though many agronomic improvements were made for guayule.
However, new life has developed for guayule-based rubber in a large niche market: medical products. A method for producing hypoallergenic latex derived from guayule was developed and patented by the US Department of Agriculture in the 1990s. A private company, Yulex Corporation, licensed this technology and has used it to manufacture medical devices, such as surgical gloves. The gloves produced from guayule-based latex do not contain the allergenic proteins that Hevea-based latex contains, so they will not cause allergic reactions in those who are allergic to Hevea rubber products. In this case, the cost disparity between Hevea rubber and guayule rubber is offset by the technical improvement that guayule latex brings to the high-value market for medical devices.
Guayule-based rubber, or "biorubber," has also shown promise in consumer and industrial applications. One area that has been researched is the tire industry, as tires are made of varying amounts of natural rubber. However, natural rubber is prone to large price swings, and it could take years before biorubber is produced on a large-scale for tires. Nevertheless, guayule could replace Hevea rubber in the event of a natural rubber shortage.
Guayule also has the potential for use as a biofuel, as ethanol can be produced from it. The plant is one of many hardwoods that are suitable for fermentation into ethanol. Guayule is one of the more economically viable options, however, as it is not a food-based biofuel and it can be grown on land where food crops would fail. Thus, guayule-based biofuel would not cause the price of food to rise.
Jojoba
Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is a woody, evergreen desert shrub native to the southwestern United States. In cultivation, jojoba may be irrigated during its two- to three-year establishment period after which, assuming that the roots find groundwater, the plants do not require irrigation. During the plant’s initial production period of three to ten years, the female plants may produce 350 kilograms of seeds per hectare. After ten years of growth, the plants may yield five hundred to eight hundred kilograms per hectare for many decades.
Jojoba oil is extracted from jojoba seeds and comprises approximately 40 to 60 percent of the mass of the seeds. Jojoba oil is not really an oil per se, as it is not a triglyceride; jojoba oil is a plant wax similar to plant cuticular waxes, being composed of long-chain alcohols and fatty acids. The value of jojoba oil comes from its desirable stability. Jojoba oil is stable up to three hundred degrees Celsius and does not become rancid even after decades of storage. Also, jojoba oil is very similar chemically to sperm whale oil, so it is useful in cosmetics.
Jojoba oil was first produced in commercially important quantities during World War II, as a high-temperature lubricant and an extender for petroleum-based lubricants. These jojoba-based products were used for engines, machinery, vehicles, and guns. As seen with guayule, the economics of jojoba oil production did not compare favorably with abundant petroleum products after World War II, so production of jojoba oil decreased sharply after the war.
Since then, the economics of jojoba oil production has gone through many fluctuations. In the 1970s the green revolution reignited interest in renewable, natural resources, especially products that could replace petrochemicals and animal-derived products. Growers took advantage of tax incentives to start farming jojoba. Then the disappearance of tax incentives and the decade-long production time to achieve commercially useful quantities of jojoba seed proved to be economically disastrous for many growers. Many jojoba farms shut down operations. In the 1990s the price of jojoba oil ranged from $40 per gallon to $200 per gallon, an unacceptable fluctuation in price that discouraged many industries from becoming dependent on jojoba oil. The price of jojoba oil must stabilize before industries can once again explore adding jojoba to their lines.
Despite fluctuations in the price of industrial jojoba oil, it has shown potential as a cheap, sustainable biofuel that could be used instead of petroleum diesel. Its potential as a biodegradable lubricant has also not been ignored. Additionally, chemically modified jojoba oil has become a common ingredient in many upscale health and beauty products, as it can be made colorless, odorless, and oxidatively stable. The oil can be found in such products as lotions, moisturizers, and shampoo. Among other uses, consumers can also apply the oil topically to treat dry skin and other skin conditions.
Hesperaloe
Hesperaloe (Hesperaloe funifera), also known as red yucca (a popular garden plant), is a member of the agave family that produces long, thin fibers that may be processed into exceptionally light and strong paper. Long-term biomass production studies began on hesperaloe in 1988, and since then many agronomic and processing improvements have been made. The fibers of hesperaloe are suitable for the production of high-value products, such as ultralight coated papers. The fibers are also suitable for such basic consumer products as toilet paper. Additional studies have focused on the use of hesperaloe fibers as reinforcing material in composites for building panels, bicycle frames, and car doors.
Kenaf
Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) is another fast-growing fiber crop that has been finding utility in niche markets. The fibers can be used to make cloth, rope, and twine. Kenaf may be used to produce bright white paper, building materials, and absorbent materials. Additionally, the black lignin liquor, a by-product of kenaf processing, may add value to the crop by functioning as a binder for animal feeds, a fertilizer, or a termite-resistant coating. Kenaf seed oil, which is high in omega polyunsaturated fatty acids, can be used in place of other edible oils. The oil is also used as an industrial lubricant, in cosmetics, and in biofuel production.
Lesquerella
Lesquerella (Lesquerella fendleri), a member of the mustard family, is an industrial crop that has been under development for its unique seed oils. Initial research has indicated that domestically produced lesquerella may eventually replace imported castor oil in many cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial products. In addition to its oil, a natural gum in the seed coat of lesquerella may be a useful food additive. Lesquerella's potential use as a biofuel has also been explored, particularly as a bio-diesel additive. Its oil contains unique molecules that promote the flow of oil under varying conditions, including cold temperatures. Lesquerella oil also contains a high level of hydroxy fatty acids that increase its lubricity.
Biofuels
Enhanced agronomic techniques, processing methods, conventional breeding, genetic engineering, and emerging niche markets may one day push lesquerella and other plants with potential into the realm of commercial viability. One major area of research involves finding which plants would be the most economically viable as biofuel. Many farmers grow corn to make ethanol, for example, but other plants, such as those as mentioned above, have the potential to be used for fuel. There is virtually no limit to the type of plant that can be used to produce energy. Crops grown specifically for biofuel can be produced in large quantities and thus—as long as they do not contribute to rising food prices by being consumed for fuel instead of food—can become profitable. The use of biofuels can help people not only create less pollution, but can also help producers and consumers save money on the cost of other energy sources, particularly fossil fuel.
One potential biofuel that would not harm the food industry is algal fuel. Algaculture, or the farming of algae, has been considered as a replacement for when land is not suitable for agriculture. Algal fuel (also called algal biofuel) may include biodiesel, biogasoline, bioethanol, biomethanol, biobutanol, and vegetable oil. The production of algae is expensive, but algal fuel has the potential to produce more biomass per unit in a given year than any other type of biomass. Its yield has been reported to be between ten and one hundred times more than other biofuel crops. Algae releases carbon dioxide when burned, but this is offset by the growing of algal and other biofuels that take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Algae can also be grown in freshwater, ocean saltwater, and even in wastewater. Algalculture has minimal impact on water resources and is considered harmless to the environment if spilled.
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