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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #101725
Title: CUPHEA: PROGRESS REPORT ON COMMERCIALIZATION

Author
item Phillips, Bliss
item KNAPP, STEVEN - OREGON STATE UNIV
item Abbott Dr, Thomas

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cuphea is a plant native to parts of North America which yields >30% of an oil consisting of short to medium length saturated fatty acids suitable for detergents. We envision that it will evolve into a commercial crop in the next 5 to 10 years because it has distinct advantages. First, using Cuphea as a third crop in a corn/soybean/Cuphea rotation will provide a natural barrier to the Western corn root worm by lengthening the rotation cycle one year. Second, Cuphea will not be in competition with other domestic American crops. Third, a commercial market already exists for the product in applications similar to those for imported palm kernel oil and coconut seed oil. Previously, commercialization of this plant has been prevented by major undesired botanical traits which include seed dormancy, seed shattering, no self pollinating varieties, and a sticky plant coating. The development of a hybrid at Oregon State University under Dr. Steven Knapp's direction has overcome these problems. Test plots this past summer in Woodford County, Illinois, and on the Illinois Central College campus 'Fields of the Future' with seed that overcame seed dormancy and seed shattering, (the hybrid that overcame all four traits was not available in sufficient seed quantities to plant) were a tremendous success; they exhibited no dormancy problems, grew quite vigorously even in poor soil, and the seed was shatter-resistant. We are now poised for larger field trials that will address issues such as herbicide/insecticide registration and optimum planting and harvesting methods.