Cacti might replace jatropha as a crop. There is a rumor going about in the biofuel community that these desert succulents are destined to be the next great energy crop, producing enormous amounts of biomass for the fermentation of biogas to produce electricity in semi-arid regions of Africa and elsewhere.
Depending on your point of view, massive cactus farms dispersed throughout underdeveloped and famine-prone regions like the Sahel might alter the low-carbon energy markets, stop desertification, and produce much-needed money. Or they might present a gravely new threat to people’s way of life and the environment.
Cactus power proponents acknowledge that energy crops have a negative image for stealing land that could be used for growing food. One such proponent is the British eco-entrepreneur Mike Mason. They contend that the key is to identify crops that can be grown on terrain that is too parched to support the production of food without pricy irrigation. As a result, scientists are focusing on low-water-requirement desert plants like cacti.
An Energy Powerhouse
Cacti and other plants with a crussulacean acid metabolism (CAM) have evolved to be hyper-efficient by only opening their stomata at night. This is in contrast to other plants, which open their leaf stomata during the day to collect carbon dioxide and convert it using sunlight and water. Cacti and other CAM plants can reduce their water loss by up to 90% because stomatal opening throughout the day usually causes significant water loss through evaporation. They then overnight store the CO2 as an organic substance called malate before resuming photosynthesis in the morning.
As a result, large amounts of biomass are produced with relatively low water use in areas where few other cultivated plants will flourish. It seems like everyone wins.
Opuntia ficus indica, a South American cactus that is often farmed for cow fodder in Brazil but is viewed as invasive in many other parts of the world, and Euphorbia tirucalli, an African native shrub sometimes known as the pencil cactus or firestick plant, are examples of CAM plants. Pineapples, agave, and other cacti species are among the additional up to 16,000 species of CAM plants. Each one of them uses a technique for photosynthesis that uses less water while still creating plant biomass.
It seems sense that businesses are investigating CAM plants as a biofuel. They can generate large amounts of biomass that can be converted into biofuel with little water and otherwise unarable land.
CAM ventures
Two CAM species, Opuntia and Euphrobia, are being aggressively cultivated in Kenya as part of trials by Live Energies, a German business that also contributed to the development of jatropha. According to reports, they produce great yields.
Mason, whose prior business endeavors included founding ClimateCare, which has grown to be one of the biggest carbon offsetting businesses in the world, believes he is onto another winner. He serves as the chairman of Tropical Power, a subsidiary of a UK company that currently uses farm waste to produce biogas in Ghana and Kenya. However, he asserts that using CAM species as the feedstock could significantly reduce fermentation expenses. This is due to the fact that CAM species, in addition to their numerous benefits, also have an unusually low lignin concentration. The fermentation of the material proceeds more quickly with less lignin.
Mason and co-authors from Imperial College London and Kew Botanic Gardens asserted that CAM crops might develop into a “globally significant bioenergy resource” in a study that was published by the Royal Society of Chemistry earlier this year. They said that 250 million hectares, or ten percent of the world’s semi-arid land, could be used for agriculture in order to create enough fuel to produce as much energy as is presently produced by burning natural gas worldwide. Additionally, if crops are continually replanted, net carbon emissions are almost nil.
The report also made the case that biogas facilities would consistently discharge nutrients-rich wastewater that could be utilized to irrigate and fertilize nearby food crops. The authors contend that this results in both more food and energy crops.
The downsides
There are several drawbacks. Mason acknowledges that CAM plants have not received much attention from plant breeders, therefore they are still in the early stages of growth, comparable to “where there were grain crops 8000 years ago. That makes them sound unsettlingly similar to jatropha, which was just another little-studied African weed before Goldman Sachs recognized it as a potentially significant source of biodiesel back in 2007. However, according to Mason, there is also a great opportunity to increase yields because CAM plants have received little research.
Mason’s business, Tropical Power, claims that CAM plants should thrive in semi-arid regions with yearly rainfall of 25 to 50 centimeters “Land use has previously been sparse. This, it claims “may provide a significant potential for grid-friendly electricity, provide employment in rural regions, and enhance fertility and land usage.
All of this, however, should raise red flags for anyone worried about semi-arid environment landscapes, livelihoods, and water use. Land is not necessarily empty or uninhabited just because it is not producing food crops. Additionally, it doesn’t imply that it serves no other ecological or additional services “services provided by ecosystems, such hydrological management. Such widespread ecosystem disruption might have unanticipated environmental effects.
This essay mentions it in passing “Although it might be of low productivity, a large portion of [the land designated for CAM crops] may also have competitive use as pasture. The matter isn’t pursued, though. The issue of who owns the land and what those owners may think is also irrelevant. Land grabbing is imminent.
Some claim that a high-volume energy crop has the potential to offer alternatives to grazing systems, which have led to land degradation across semi-arid countries, in terms of economics and jobs. But the concepts of “Overgrazing is disputed. In any instance, there is a significant chance that the reverse will occur. That, far from reducing desertification, biomass cultivation will merely cage grazing animals into ever-tinier areas, increasing the danger of land degradation. This is similar to previous attempts to grow sugar, cotton, and other irrigated crops.
The usage of water in the landscape is not discussed in the text either. Massive industrial cactus farms may not be as water-efficient as individual plants, but they could have negative hydrological effects. Especially during the famine-inducing droughts for which semi-arid lands are infamous, these plantations may potentially lower water tables, dry out wells, and stifle seasonal rivers.
How do cacti obtain food?
Like all plants, cacti prepare their food through the process of photosynthesis. Since the leaves of cacti are essentially reduced to spines, photosynthesis occurs through the stem. Chlorophyll makes the stems green so that the plant can produce food from them.
Does the sun provide energy for cacti?
The following query that must be on your mind is whether your cacti plants can endure in low light. The fact is that cacti plants require sunshine to survive, just like any other plant. The plant uses the light energy it absorbs to start chemical reactions that enable it to make food and energy.
Cacti plants, however, can endure low light levels for a while. Your plants will begin to exhibit signs of stress after a few days of insufficient light exposure, such as etiolation and reduced development. Additionally, they will look pallid and lose their lovely, brilliant colors.
Cacti plants may get root rot if they receive too much water and not enough light. The plant will eventually decay from the roots up if the proper steps are not taken to remedy the condition. In fact, it can be very challenging to prevent your plant from dying once root rot begins to develop.
How do cacti obtain their nutrients?
Water is essential for plant survival. People who live in dry climates employ a variety of intriguing survival techniques.
My friend Charles Cody, who oversees one of the greenhouses at Washington State University, told me that. He pointed out a few various cactus when I went to the greenhouse.
One had large spines and was tall and cylindrical. Another was little and rounded, but it had what appeared to be small hairs. A cactus from the rainforest draped from the wall like a vine.
Tomata, which resemble tiny gates that let air and water in and out, can be found on a plant’s leaf if you examine it closely, according to Cody. Since cacti lack genuine leaves, their stomata are located in the plant’s stem or body.
The stomata of the majority of plants with leaves open up during the day to absorb a gas called carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide, along with sunlight and water, can be used by plants to produce food. Photosynthesis is a mechanism that aids plants in obtaining the energy they require to exist.
The plant releases oxygen, which we all breathe, when the stomata are open. The plant may, however, also lose water at the same time. In the sunlight, it dries up. If you’ve ever noticed how water in a puddle appears to evaporate on a bright day, you may already be familiar with the concept of evaporation. But stomata in the desert are somewhat different.
Cacti have stomata that open at night instead of stomata that open during the day. They are able to endure harsh environments because to this. The carbon dioxide that cacti use to produce their food can still be obtained without jeopardizing their water supply. The carbon dioxide is captured overnight and used the next day to produce their food.
According to Cody, cactus spines are a special type of leaf. When the spines cast their shadows onto the stem, the cactus receives a small amount of protection. Additionally, they have the ability to gather dew, which the roots then absorb into the cactus as it drips to the ground.
Some desert animals are also cautioned to avoid the cactus and not consume it by spines. However, cacti like the prickly pear can sometimes provide a source of food to some desert animals if there is a prolonged period without water during a drought.
Cacti have a large water storage capacity. The saguaro cactus can weigh as much as 4,800 pounds, or just a little less than a mini-van, when it rains a lot.
Cacti thrive in the desert, but I’m not fully suited to that environment. I believe my preferred environment is a warm greenhouse with ideal cat napping circumstances.
Cactus: Can they live without oxygen?
It’s a widespread notion that cactus can survive under neglect, however this is undoubtedly untrue. A cactus need the five things listed below to survive:
Light
In science class, we all discovered that all plants need light for photosynthesis. There must be light, regardless of the kind of plant or how much light they truly require. Cacti are the same. A cactus actually prefers sunlight because it is abundant in its native environment.
The quantity of light a cactus requires can vary depending on the species, although most cacti can live in bright, direct sunlight.
It is possible to have too much light, too. A cactus can get burnt if it is exposed to high-intensity light for an extended period of time. To prevent this problem, it is advised that you provide your cactus protection from harsh light, especially if you are trying to adapt it to a new location.
On the other hand, your cactus will grow tall and thin in quest of the light it need, a process known as etiolation, if you don’t give it enough sunshine. The plant won’t also be able to blossom because it doesn’t receive adequate sunlight exposure for photosynthesis.
So where is the ideal middle ground? Cacti like direct sunshine, but if you’re keeping yours indoors, you’ll need to expose it to full-spectrum light for 12 to 14 hours each day. Your cactus will receive all the wavelengths that sunshine offers thanks to full-spectrum light. To control the number of hours your cactus is exposed to light, you can use A Plus LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants or this Fauna 100W COB Plant Grow Light Full Spectrum.
Here are a few quick cactus lighting suggestions to remember:
- Pick a location for your cactus with care. Whether you keep it inside or outside, make sure it gets enough sunshine where it is.
- To prevent shock when moving a cactus to a new location or transplanting one, gradually increase its exposure to light.
- If your cactus lives indoors, attempt to modify the illumination according to the seasons. If you bring your cactus indoors over the winter, be sure to give it the light it requires, even if you have to reduce the quantity to reflect the season.
- Pay close attention to how your cactus looks; if you spot a light sunburn on its surface, act quickly to offer some protection.
Air
Your cactus needs to be in an aerated area; as obvious as this may sound, plants require air to survive. It must be kept in a well-ventilated area where it has unrestricted access to both oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Cacti breathe differently than other plants, which helps them thrive in hot, dry climates. A cactus closes its stomata during the day and opens it at night, but most plants do the opposite to prevent water loss.
A cactus can increase the air quality at night by producing more oxygen, but it isn’t a good enough excuse to cram it in a closet or other small, enclosed area. Your cactus has to be kept in an airy, open area so that it can breathe properly, especially at night.
Water
Underwatering is one of the worst mistakes that cactus owners do. Plants believe that because cacti can survive in hot climates, they can go for weeks without water. Cacti are robust plants, but they still need frequent watering to live, just like other plants. If you don’t give them enough water, they usually die.
On the other side, some cactus owners could overwater their plants. Water that accumulates at the bottom of the container may eventually cause root rot. It is crucial to comprehend that cactus can survive periods of drought but prefer a dry environment.
How much water does a cactus thus require? The Cactus & Succulent Society of San Jose’s specialists say that cacti only require weekly watering. Make sure the soil is loose and that the pot has holes at the bottom so that any extra water can quickly drain. Water the cactus until the soil is completely soaked and water begins to drain from the drainage holes.