Agave on highway dividers

 

 

EENADU 13 June 2016

CAM PLANT AGAVE AS CARBON SINK ON HIGHWAY DIVIDERS

 by Dr. Anumakonda Jagadeesh (Nellore, India)

On the highways and in city roads we have dividers where plants are grown. On the highways, the idea is plants will reduce focusing of light on the drivers in the opposite direction. In many cases the plants are watered through tanks.

On the highways and in towns release of CO2 and SO2 from vehicles is a problem, especially from old vehicles. When any hydrocarbon (compounds of C and H) are burned, oxygen from the atmosphere reacts to form CO2 and water.

Agave attenuata – This species is one of the most popular and highly ornamental Agaves because it is spineless and forms such a structural low growing form. – http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/AGAVE/Agave_attenuata/Agave_attenuata/Agave_attenuata_810.jpg

CAM  PLANT AGAVE AS CARBON SINK ON HIGHWAY DIVIDERS

Agave can be planted in the divider space. It won’t spread much. It is care-free growth, CAM and looks ornamental  and regenerative.  Crassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions. In a plant using full CAM, the stomata in the leaves remain shut during the day to reduce evapotranspiration, but open at night to collect carbon dioxide (CO₂). The CO₂ is stored as the four-carbon acid malate in vacuoles at night, and then in the daytime, the malate is transported to chloroplasts where it is converted back to CO₂, which is then used during photosynthesis. The pre-collected CO₂ is concentrated around the enzyme RuBisCO, increasing photosynthetic efficiency.

When the plant begins to grow,side succulent leaves can be cut, which can be used as input for biogas/biochar.

Let us hope the highway authorities and municipal corporations in towns adopt this.

From Dr.A.Jagadeesh

Director Nayudamma Centre for Development Alternatives
2/210 First Floor, Nawabpet
NELLORE- 524 002,Andhra Pradesh – INDIA