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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #91434
Title: MILKWEED SEEDMEAL, CARDENOLIDE EXTRACTION AND USE AS A NEMATOCIDE

Author
item Harry O Kuru, Rogers
item MOJTAHEDI, H - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV
item Vaughn, Steven
item Dowd, Patrick
item Holser, Ronald
item Abbott Dr, Thomas

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Milkweed is a new industrial crop cultivated mainly for its floss which is in demand for us in pillows and comforters. The seed contain oils which could be used in the cosmetic industry. But the seedmeal, that is, the crushed seed after oil removal was usually discarded as waster because no use had been found for it. Compounding this problem, the meal contains components not suitable for animal feed. Consequently, for this crop to be fully successful economically, increased acreage and larger harvest must be accompanied by markets for the oil and seedmeal. This manuscript reports that milkweed seedmeal, incorporated into the soil, controls nematodes that are pests in potato, tomato, and pepper crops.

Technical Abstract: Milkweed is a new crop being produced for its fiber value in pillows and comforters. Cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) are endemic in milkweed plants, Asclepias, spp., and may hinder utilization of the seed as an animal feed. In an ongoing effort to develop new coproducts for milkweed fiber, we have found that the defatted seedmeal is an effective nematocide: A procedure for separating the cardenolides from milkweed seedmeal has also been developed.