User:NoFlyingCars/Kudzu

NOTICE
Original article: Kudzu

Major Changes needed:


 * 1) Strong claims in the 2nd (and surrounding) sentence need more sources.
 * 2) Propagation chapter needs citations and maybe an expansion.
 * 3) Medicine sub-chapter needs major improvements.
 * 4) Starch sub-chapter ditto.
 * 5) Ecological invasion chapter needs more sources, and needs more info for other countries.
 * 6) Herbicide sub-chapter needs improvements.

... NOTE: "citation needed" notices w/o dates are the ones I have added for this major improvement. ...

1 : INTRO
have added several citations

Kudzu, Pueraria lobata (and possibly other species in the genus Pueraria; see taxonomy section below) is a plant in the genus Pueraria in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is a large, simi-woody, climbing, coiling, and trailing vine native to China (initially), Taiwan, Japan, and India. Its name comes from the Japanese name for the plant, クズ or 葛 (Kuzu).

Kudzu is sometimes called gé gēn, and (due to its out-of-control growth in the Southeastern United States) has earned such pejorative nicknames as the "Miracle Vine", Foot-a-Night Vine", "Mile-a-Minute Vine", and "The Vine that Ate the South" (of the United States).

In Vietnam, it is called sắn dây.

2 (Propagation)
- Needs CITATIONS & a possible expansion :::

Kudzu spreads by vegetative expansion, via stolons (runners) that root at the nodes to form new plants and by rhizomes. Kudzu will also spread by seeds, which are contained in pods and mature in the autumn, although this is rare. One or two viable seeds are produced per cluster of pods. The hard-coated seeds may not germinate for several years, which can result in the re-appearance of the species years after it was thought eradicated at a site.

3: MED.
''I'm feeling this is missing tons of citations - actually, looking through it a few times, it doesn't look half-bad. But does need appropriate citation at ending.''

The Harvard Medical School is studying kudzu as a possible way to treat alcoholic cravings, by turning an extracted compound from the herb into a medical drug. The mechanism for this is not yet established, but it may have to do with both alcohol metabolism and the reward circuits in the brain.

Kudzu also contains a number of useful isoflavones, including daidzein (an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent). Daidzin is a cancer preventive and genistein (an antileukemic agent). Kudzu is a unique source of the isoflavone puerarin. Kudzu root compounds can affect neurotransmitters (including serotonin, GABA, and glutamate.) It has shown value in treating migraine and cluster headache. It is recommended for allergies and diarrhea.

Research in mice models suggests that kudzu is beneficial in women for control of some post-menopausal symptoms, such as hypertension and diabetes type II.

In traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as gé gēn, kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is used to treat tinnitus, vertigo, and Wei syndrome (superficial heat close to the surface).

4: Starch
needs a little bit more information

The roots contain starch, which has traditionally been used as a food ingredient in East Asia.

In Vietnam, the starch called bột sắn dây is flavoured with pomelo oil and then used as a drink in the summer.

5: ech. invasion
More countries are needed to open the scope

China
inital

Japan
secondary

USA
Kudzu was introduced from Asia into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it was promoted as a forage crop and an ornamental plant. From 1935 to the early 1950s, the Soil Conservation Service encouraged farmers in the Southeastern United States to plant kudzu to reduce soil erosion as above. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted Kudzu widely for many years.

It was subsequently discovered that the Southeastern US has near-perfect conditions for kudzu to grow out of control — hot, humid summers, frequent rainfall, temperate winters with few hard freezes (kudzu cannot tolerate low freezing temperatures that bring the frost line down through its entire root system, a rare occurrence in this region), and no natural predators. As such, the once-promoted plant was named a pest weed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1953.

 6: Herbicide 
needs citations and more info

To properly manage kudzu, stem cutting should be immediately followed with the application of a systemic herbicide; for example, Glyphosate, Triclopyr, or Tordon, directly on the cut stem. This process provides an effective means of transport of the herbicide into the kudzu's extensive root system. The usage of herbicides can be combined with other methods of eradication and control; such as burning, grazing, or mowing, which can allow for an easier application of the chemical to the weakened plants. When it comes to large-scale forestry infestations, soil-active herbicides have been shown to be highly effective.

After initial herbicidal treatment, follow-up treatments and monitoring are usually necessary, depending on how long the kudzu has been growing in the area. It may require up to ten years of supervision, after the initial chemical placement, to make sure the plant does not return in the future.

Herbicides which have been proven to be effective to control kudzu are claimed to be "rather safe to humans, but generally lethal on most plants."

Reference Details

 * 1: Auburn: HISTORY, HISTORY, HISTORY,
 * 1: BROKEN LINK???
 * 2: UCC - Strong history on southern invasion and how the govt got involved. 1970 declared as a "weed". Growth: 1 foot/day or 60 ft/yr. Info on Kudzu festivals.
 * 3. ScienceDaily: Kudzu growth: 1,500 acres/yr
 * 4. Translation (possibly needed?)
 * 5. Assc.Press MSNBC: can curb binge drinking?? more on subject
 * 6. BROKEN LINK???
 * 7. Book
 * 8. ScienceDaily - Menopausal side-effects: Direct from page:

Science Daily: "The UAB researchers have examined kudzu, a vine growing in the southeast United States. Their research, and others', shows kudzu root extract blunts a significant percent of the blood pressure rise that occurs in rats placed on a high salt diet. Kudzu has also been shown to reduce blood glucose, insulin and leptin in this animal model of insulin resistance (a precursor to type 2 diabetes). Glucose tolerance and sensitivity are improved some 20 percent in chronic studies and about 50 percent when kudzu and glucose are administered simultaneously."


 * 9. SE: History, Origin and Dist., specifics on size, measurements, related species, habitat, mechanical and herbicidal control
 * 10. NPS: Threat, habitat, bio., spread, background, management.