Mesquite Biomass Research Articles

The Use of Removed Mesquite Brush as a Fiber Replacement in Silage Production.

Simple SummaryMesquite is considered an invasive browse species in most of the American Southwest, spreading rapidly into Texas and leading to disruption of native grasslands. Management efforts generate a significant volume of organic debris. Incorporation of this organic material into livestock feeding efforts would represent a sustainable solution to this ecological problem. Our objectives were to (1) determine the nutritive value and fermentation characteristics of silage produced with mesquite biomass, and (2) evaluate potential pre-treatment methods of mesquite biomass prior to ensiling. Inclusion of mesquite biomass in a bermudagrass-based silage was shown to increase fiber concentrations, decrease crude protein and in vitro digestibility, and decrease fermentation quality (pH and volatile fatty acids [VFA]). However, 250 g kg−1 inclusion of mesquite was shown to be similar to grass silage alone. There was no effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculation, though increasing length of incubation did increase VFA production and decrease silage pH. Pre-treatment of mesquite biomass with acid or alkali did not improve ensiling properties. Results are interpreted to mean that mesquite biomass may be effectively incorporated into silage at levels up to 250 g kg−1.Mesquite (Prosopis L.) is considered an invasive browse species in most of the American Southwest. Mechanical intervention removes yields an excess of organic debris. Anecdotal evidence in the past has supported using such browse as feed for livestock. Thus, our objectives were to (1) determine the nutritive value and fermentation characteristics of silage produced with mesquite biomass, and (2) evaluate solvent treatment of mesquite biomass prior to ensiling. In Experiment 1, we evaluated mesquite inclusion rate (0, 250, 500, 750, or 1000 g kg−1 DM), length of fermentation (28, 56, or 84 d), and silage inoculant. In Experiment 2, we evaluated the effects of mesquite pre-treatment with acid (H2SO4) or alkali (NaOH) solutions. Concentrations of NDF, ADF, and ADL, as well as IVTD, decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing mesquite inclusion. However, 250 g mesquite kg−1 DM did not differ from grass silage. There was no effect (p > 0.05) of inoculation, though increasing length of incubation did increase (p < 0.05) VFA production and decrease (p < 0.05) silage pH. Solvent treatment did not improve ensiling properties. Results are interpreted to mean that mesquite biomass may be effectively incorporated into silage at levels up to 250 g kg−1.

Impact of biochar produced from hardwood of mesquite on the hydraulic and physical properties of compacted soils for potential application in engineered structures

Biochar is a carbon-rich porous material obtained after pyrolysis of labile biomass in oxygen deficit condition. The production of biochar from invasive weed mesquite biomass could be beneficial of managing waste and preventing the emission of CO2 gas by open combustion, and amending them in soil could sequester carbon in soil and improve soil properties. The effect of biochar on soil hydraulic properties was studied for loose soils suitable for agriculture. However, soils in engineered/bioengineered structures often compacted for achieving structural stability. Moreover, biochar of different feedstock poses variable effect on soil hydro-physical properties and a combined study of hydro-physical properties of soil amended with mesquite biochar lacks in the existing literature. In the present study, the effect of mesquite biochar on the hydro-physical properties, such as Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, infiltration rate (I) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) of compacted silty sand and pure sand is investigated for potential application in bioengineered structures. The results show that the amendment of 5%, 10% and 15% biochar increased the atterberg limits and water absorption capacity while decreased the plasticity index, specific gravity, dry density and I of the soils. Moreover, the Ksat is found to be increased in silty sand whereas decreased in pure sand due to biochar amended. These changes in soil properties are attributed to the altered physical properties, mainly porosity (inter-pores) of the soil by the biochar amendment and the presence of chemical compound in biochar surface. The reduced I and Ksat in the present study suggest application of biochar amended soil in bioengineered structures; however, further field-scale studies are needed before implication.

Perspective on the control of invasive mesquite trees and possible alternative uses

Abstract: Mesquite trees continue to invade forests and range lands in many countries across the world. The cost to remove these trees is staggering. In Texas, landowners spent $25 million over a 10-year period to clear 300.000 ha of mesquite trees, a fraction of the 22 million ha of Texas land affected by this invasion. Estimates are that the mesquite continues to negatively impact one to two percent of additional land in selected counties each year in Texas. However, the problem is not unique to Texas, but rather to the 44 species of mesquite trees, belonging to the genus Prosopis found in the pea family (Fabaceae), introduced across the southern United States, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean. In response, researchers are searching for economically viable uses for harvested trees and seeds to provide an alternative to the high cost of removal. If viable uses for harvested mesquite trees and seeds are found, then sustained pressure will limit and ultimately reduce the negative impact from these invasive trees. One key factor to controlling this invasive species is to find economically and environmentally sustainable uses to help pay the costs of removal or perhaps make removal less necessary. Traditional uses of mesquite are as a building material, as a source of food for both animals and humans and as wood for charcoal. Emerging uses of mesquite are new applications as a biofuel and as a bio-filter medium for water. Moreover, forestry land management of mesquite has adapted to include the tree as a component of hunting lands. New control methodologies and technologies are based on an increased understanding of mesquite growth patterns, using recommended practices that reduce control and eradication costs while improving the efficiency of land management. Previous land management practices have proven that excessive application of herbicides, physical removal of mesquite trees, or human-induced brush fires, if not carefully planned, only worsen mesquite infestations. The growing problem of mesquite land management provides an opportunity for continued research into novel ways to utilize mesquite biomass, of both wood and seed pods.

Biochemical Traits in the Flower Lifetime of a Mexican Mistletoe Parasitizing Mesquite Biomass.

Psittacanthus calyculatus is a hemiparasitic plant that infects a wide range of trees. Mainly the biology reproduction of this mistletoe lies in bright colored flower development. Furthermore, it uses the nectar secretion as the only reward to engage different flower visitors. We investigated the physiological mechanisms of the flower phenology per hour and per day to analyze the spatial-temporal patterns of the nectar secretion, Cell Wall Invertase Activity (key enzyme in the quality of nectar), nectar chemistry, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission, synthesis of carotenoids and frequency of floral visitors. Flowers lasted 4 days, total nectar was loaded just before the anthesis and the secretion was maintained over day 1 and 2, decreased on day 3, and stopped on day 4. The diurnal nectar secretion dynamic per hour on day 1 and 2 showed similar patterns with high production on the morning and a decrease in the afternoon, the secretion declined on day 3 and ceased on day 4. On the other hand, CWIN activity per day was less before the anthesis and increased on day 1 and 2, this enzymatic activity decreased on the old flower phenology. Moreover, diurnal CWIN activities showed different patterns in the morning, noon, and lastly in the afternoon. Nectar chemistry varied significantly throughout of the flower lifetime, sucrose decreased along the flower phenology increasing glucose and fructose. Amino acids showed the prevalence of proline and oxo-proline, both increased on the day 1 and diminished in subsequent old flower stages. The spatial VOCs emission showed the presence of 11 compounds being β-ocimene the main volatile; its release increased on day 1 and remained constant in the flower lifetime. Lutein, lycopene, and β-carotene were concentrated in old stages of the flowers. In field, the most frequent flower visitors were the hummingbirds that usually foraging in all phenologic flower stage and their foraging events decreased with the phenological flower lifetimes. The results showed that these traits presented by P. calyculatus flowers are able to engage and manipulate the behavior of flower visitors and contribute to the reproduction of the parasitic plant.

Economic Feasibility of Mesquite Biomass for Electricity Production: Projections of the Long-Term Sustainability of Two Harvest Options

Mesquite and similar woody plant species occupy over 28 million hectares in the southwestern USA and often negatively affect the rural economic sector by reducing livestock forage production, increasing bare ground, and interfering with livestock handling. Current control methods that temporarily suppress the growth of these woody plants include herbicide sprays, mechanical treatments, and prescribed fire. One alternative to current control practices is to utilize mesquite biomass for electricity generation. This study examined the economic feasibility of mesquite biomass as a potential bioenergy feedstock for electricity production using a Faustmann-type model with five mesquite biomass accumulation scenarios, which take into account variations in rates of standing biomass accumulation and tree density reestablishment after harvest with the aboveground-only (AG) harvest option or the whole-plant (WP) harvest option. The estimated regrowth functions were then incorporated into a modified version of the Faustmann model to determine the optimal harvesting length of mesquite that maximizes the net present value of a power plant using mesquite biomass. Results indicated that mesquite biomass has economic potential to be a source for electricity generation. A long-term bioenergy harvest system with regrowth following AG harvest was much more cost-effective than reestablishment from germination of new seedlings after WP harvest, even though harvest cost is higher in the AG than that in the WP harvest option. In addition, the utilization of mesquite for bioenergy would enhance other more traditional income streams from these lands including livestock grazing and wildlife hunting leases (with patterned harvesting of mesquite) and would reduce herbicide or mechanical costs that ordinarily are necessary for woody plant control. Compared to conventional coal, a lower economic return was found when the mesquite biomass was used for electricity production, but a possible carbon emission tax would make mesquite biomass competitive with conventional coal.

Delivered Biomass Costs of Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) for Bioenergy Uses in the South Central USA

Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.), a multistemmed tree that grows on grasslands and rangelands in the South Central USA (Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico), may have potential as a bioenergy feedstock due to a large amount of existing standing biomass and significant regrowth potential following initial harvest. The objective of this research was to determine the cost to harvest, store, and deliver mesquite biomass feedstock to a bioelectricity plant under the assumption that the rights to harvest mesquite could be acquired in long-term leases. The advantage of mesquite and similar rangeland shrubs as bioenergy feedstocks is that they do not grow on land better suited for growing food or fiber and thus will not impact agricultural food markets as corn grain ethanol has done. In addition, there are no cultivation costs. Results indicated that mesquite biomass density (Mg ha−1) and harvesting costs are major factors affecting cost of delivered biomass. Annual biomass consumption by the bioelectricity plant and percent of the total system area that contains biomass density that is suitable for harvest significantly affected land- related factors including total system area needed per bioelectricity plant and transport costs. Simulation results based on actual biomass density in Texas showed that higher and more spatially consistent biomass density would be an important factor in selecting a potential location for the bioelectricity plant. Harvesting mesquite has the potential for bioenergy feedstock given certain densities and total land areas since higher harvest and transport costs are offset by essentially no production costs.

Ruminant rations from mesquite biomass pretreated with water and ozone

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTRuminant rations from mesquite biomass pretreated with water and ozoneRichard W. Tock, C. Reed Richardson, Irena Gancarz, Jeng Chang, and Michele R. OwsleyCite this: Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. 1982, 21, 1, 101–106Publication Date (Print):March 1, 1982Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 March 1982https://doi.org/10.1021/i300005a022RIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views68Altmetric-Citations13LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (784 KB) Get e-Alerts

Rooting of Mesquite (Prosopis) Cuttings

Natural mesquite stands and other seed-propagated mesquite are extremely variable because of mesquite’s obligately outcrossed breeding mechanism. Clonal propagation methods are required to reduce genetic variation in controlled experiments and for propagation of ornamentals. Cuttings of six species of Prosopis (mesquite) representing Hawaiian, North American, and South American germplasm were successfully rooted using a translucent high humidity chamber, greenhouse-grown cutting stock, a foliar dithane (fungicide) spray, and a 3 sec. 100% dimethylsulfoxide dip containing (mg/L):indolebutyric acid (6,000), napthaleneacetic acid (9,000), boric acid (loo), calcium chloride (200), thiamine (loo), and Banrot (100). Self-incompatibility in mesquite (Prosopis spp.) (Simpson 1977) causes outcrossing so that trees propagated from seed are extremely variable. We have observed coefficients of variation as high as 70% for mesquite biomass production in deliberately planted even-aged mesquite stands (Felker et al. 198 1). Vegetative propagation techniques are necessary to reduce genetic variability in controlled greenhouse and field experiments. Several reports of vegetative propagation of rangeland and desert shrubs have appeared (Chase and Strain 1966; Everett et al. 1979; Nord and Goodin 1970; and Wieland et al. 1971); however, the only report of mesquite vegetative propagation is a negative one (Chase and Strain 1966). We report the first successful rooting of mesquite cuttings.