VOA科学技术2024--US Farmers Use Tree from India to Produce Proteins, Biofuel

American farmers are using an ancient tree from India to produce beans for making protein-rich foods and biofuels.

The tree is called pongamia. It is native to India, Southeast Asia and Australia. But farmers in the southern state of Florida have found the tree grows well there too.

In some parts of Florida, pongamia trees have now replaced citrus trees, which have long faced major struggles with disease¹.

Pongamia trees produce a small brown bean known as a legume. The legume can be used in the production of several products, including cooking oil and protein-rich foods. The beans can also be used to produce a biofuel, mostly for airplanes.

Pongamia do well in Florida because the trees like hot temperatures and can survive in dry or rainy conditions. They also do not require special additives², called fertilizers³, or chemicals to kill insects and other life that might threaten growth.

And unlike fruits like oranges and grapefruit, the beans do not require teams of workers to pick. Instead, they can be easily collected with a machine that shakes the trees and makes the legumes fall to the ground.

A San Francisco-based company, called Terviva, has invented a process that removes substances from the bean that gives it a bad taste so it can be used for food production.

The company's founder⁴, Naveen Sikka, told The Associated Press that Terviva has been able to offer Florida farmers a new chance to replace their failed citrus crops. Pongamia, he said, "is the perfect fit" to help them rebuild their businesses.

Ron Edwards is the chairman of Terviva's board of directors. He is also a long-time Florida citrus grower. He told the AP that turning this wild tree into an agricultural success story was not easy. "There are no books to read on it, either, because no one else has ever done it," Edwards said.

In addition, he said bees and other pollinators that feed on the tree's flowers help support the local environment.

Edwards added that an estimated⁵ one half hectare of the trees could provide the same amount of oil as about 1.6 hectares of soy beans. The pongamia bean also produces a high-quality protein that can be used to make many plant-based products. "There's a lot of potential for the food industry and the oil and petroleum⁶ industry," Edwards said.

Experts say the problems linked to Florida's citrus crops - disease and climate issues - have also affected⁷ most of the world's top citrus-producing nations.

For example, this year's harvest in Brazil - the world's largest exporter of orange juice - is expected to be the worst in 36 years. The Brazilian citrus group Fundecitrus made that prediction after a period of major flooding and then extended⁸ dryness.

But Edwards noted⁹ that climate and disease have little effect on pongamia trees. "It's just tough, a jungle-tested tree" he said. "It stands up to a lot of abuse¹⁰ with very little caretaking."

Pongamia also grows well in Hawaii, where it is now being used on land where sugarcane once grew.

John Olson is a Florida farmer who replaced his grapefruit trees with 87 hectares of pongamia. He told the AP he felt he had little choice because, "For the most part, the citrus industry has died in Florida." Olson said his grapefruit business was a profitable¹¹ operation throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although the farm was not large.

Edwards said he is happy that pongamia trees have replaced some citrus trees in Florida. And he said he likes that pongamia oil can replace some oils that are more environmentally damaging to produce.

Words in This Story

citrus - n. a kind of fruit that includes oranges, lemons, grapefruits, etc.

pollinate - v. to carry pollen¹² from a male part of a flower to the female¹³ part of another flower of the same kind

petroleum - n. a dark, thick oil that comes from the ground and is used to produce gasoline¹⁴ and other products

tough - adj. able to take great force

jungle - n. an impenetrable thicket or tangled mass of tropical vegetation

1 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

2 additives   

n.添加剂( additive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• chemical additives in petrol 汽油中的化学添加剂
• It'says on the packet that these crisps contain no additives. 包装上说这些炸薯片不含添加剂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fertilizers   

肥料，化肥( fertilizer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the long-term effects of fertilizers 肥料的长远影响
• Crushed bones make one of the best fertilizers. 骨粉是最佳肥料之一。

4 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

5 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

6 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 abuse   

vt.滥用；辱骂；诋毁；n.滥用；恶习；弊端

参考例句：

• You can't make personal abuse on her.你不可对她进行人身攻击。
• She screamed abuse at me.她尖声责备我。

11 profitable   

adj.有益的，能带来利益的，有利可图的

参考例句：

• That business became profitable last year.那项生意去年变得很赚钱。
• The convention business is very profitable for the hotel industry.承办会议业务能给旅馆业带来很高的利润。

12 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

13 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

14 gasoline   

n.(美)汽油

参考例句：

• This car runs 5 miles on a gallon of gasoline.这部汽车一加仑汽油可以行驶五英里。
• There is still some gasoline left in the tank.油箱里还剩下一些汽油。