Potential commercialization of Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) fruit grown on silvopastures in Texas and Oklahoma

Abstract

This presentation explores the commercialization of Osage Orange fruit as a source of biofuel feedstocks and animal feed. It may be possible to harvest fruit from existing trees while at the same time planting new Osage Orange trees. The overall goal is to create silvopastures of Osage Orange trees with sufficient fruit volumes. The Osage Orange fruit must be processed to extract marketable biofuel feedstocks. Osage Orange is a tree species found naturally in Texas and Oklahoma. The Osage Orange is dioecious: all trees are either female or male. In a natural stand of trees, there is an equal distribution of male and female trees. A silvopasture can be started with the addition of female trees amongst the existing trees. There is sufficient information in the scientific literature detailing the chemical extraction of vegetable oil, carbohydrates and isoflavones from the Osage Orange fruit. The high flavonoids levels present a challenge in the separation of vegetable oil and carbohydrates. Isoflavonoids have been overlooked as a potential source of biomass for renewable energy. There is enough evidence to further explore developing renewable energy from cultivating Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) in Oklahoma and Texas.