Mesquite is seen by many as a weed and thrives in arid conditions where little else will grow. Roots have been noted to reach up to 100 feet underground, which allows the tree to capture water inaccessible to many other plants.*
Mesquite pods contain up to 50% sugar, which can be used to generate E100. As much as 340 gallons of E100 may be generated per acre of mesquite -- with the density of E100 potential yield at approximately 76 gallons per ton of mesquite pods. Mesquite has actually been a food source for thousands of years. Mash remaining from mesquite derived E100 contains roughly 15% protein and is an ideal human and animal feed.*
Furthermore, similar to beans and peas, bacteria growing on mesquite roots serves to convert nitrogen from the air into a nitrate fertilizer (an important nutrient for plant growth). Substantial potential exists to pair mesquite growths with other drought resistant feed and energy crops (for additional production) -- while eliminating need for nitrogen fertilizers. Additionally, the shade provided by mesquite may serve to protect crops from overexposure to the sun.*
*Blume, David (2007). Alcohol Can Be a Gas! Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century. Santa Cruz, CA, USA: International Institute for Ecological Agriculture
"Mesquite tree" via brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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