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Cucurbita foetidissima, has numerous common names, including: buffalo gourd, calabazilla, chilicote, coyote gourd, fetid gourd, Missouri gourd, stinking gourd, wild gourd and wild pumpkin. The plant is a xerophytic tuberous plant found in the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico.

The feral perennial Buffalo gourd has evolved in the semiarid regions and is well adapted to desert environments. It has abundant yields of oil, protein and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates who are formed in the tap root have led to the idea to grow the plant for biofuel.

The fruit is consumed by humans and animals. When the fruit is mature a stage marked by increasing desiccation of vine, leaves, fruitstem, and fruit itself it begins its final gourd stage.

Morphology and cultivation
Cucurbita foetidissima requires little water and grows fastest in semiarid and arid environments. Warm weather is required during the vegetation period which is 5 to 8 months. This perennial is well adapted to marginal agricultural lands like sandy loam soils which have to be well drained. Germination temperature range is between 15 °C and 37 °C with a optimum at 25 °C.

The maximum depth for a successful germination is 12 cm. The germination is possible in a pH range from 2,2 (germination rate 15 % ) up to pH 8 (germination rate 90 %). Asexual propagation is possible from nodal roots.

The leaves of the buffalo gourd are typically entire and heart shaped with a 10-13 cm base and 20-25 cm length. The flowers are borne singly at the nodes of the vines after a given amount of annual vegetative growth has taken place.

The fruit has a diameter of 7-10 cm, the fruit weight is 120 g to 150 g and number of seed per fruit of 292 to 315. The seeds weigh about 4 g per 100 seeds and the seeds are 12 mm long and 7 mm wide. The seed coat accounts for about 30 % of the seed weight. The seeds often remain viable for months or even years within an undamaged gourd. One hectare of can produce 2,5 tons of seed.

A fleshy tap root get formed by the plant which is used as a storage and overwintering structure. The central tap root can weight up to 72 kg. A four-year-old root grown under cultivation can reach a fresh weight of 45 kg and a length of 2.5 meters.

Uses
The buffalo gourd has the potential of being a crop adapted to arid to semiarid lands, producing additional food critically needed to feed the world population


 * Fresh gourd: The fresh young gourd can be eaten like squash. When the fruit is mature its not edible anymore due to bitter compounds.


 * Oil: The extractable oil content in whole seeds reaches from 24,3 % to 50 %. Linoleic acid, a essential polyunsaturated fatty acid, comprises 38 % to 65 % of the oil. A characterization of the oils from buffalo gourd indicates that this oil is similar to other common edible oils.


 * Protein: Whole Buffalo gourd seeds contain approximately 31 % crude protein. This protein is usable for human consumption and for feed.


 * Starch: Is mainly located in the tap root which get formed after the first year of growth. The starch content in the dried root is between 47,5 % and 56 %.


 * Fodder: Fresh leafs or the whole plants can be used as animal food.


 * Biofuel: Biodiesel can be produced from the oil in the seeds. But the main interest to produce renewable fuels is to produce biofuel with the carbohydrates who are located in the tap root.


 * Other uses: In many Native American cultures the fruit and other parts of the plant were used for soap. Furthermore the protein can be used for industrial purposes (water paints, paper coating, adhesives and textile sizing).

Pests
Various insects may penetrate the hard skin of the gourd. External structures appear to prevent damage by most insects and the the plant is highly resistant to cucumber beetle and squash bug. . White molds seem to result in smooth surface areas and black molds often form circular patterns.