WALNUT, Calif., Nov. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VIASPACE Inc.
(OTC: VSPC) today announced the results of the first two harvests
of Giant King Grass grown at the University of
California Desert Research Center (DREC) in Holtville, Imperial
County, California. The results were reported in a
presentation made at the 25th Annual Fall Desert Crops
Workshop held on November 13, 2014 in
Imperial, CA. The presentation
entitled "Adaptability, Yield and Potential Pests of Giant King
Grass" was co-authored by Dr. Oli
Bachie, Agronomy Crop Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension and
VIASPACE CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen. The
presentation is available on the VIASPACE website
www.VIASPACE.com.
At the University of California DREC
site, two Giant King Grass planting methods are being compared. One
is to plant single nodes that each grow into individual plants.
These were planted in two closely spaced lines on a 40 inch beds
with furrow irrigation. The other method is to plant whole Giant
King Grass stalks end to end similar to the way sugarcane is
planted. For the first method, individual nodes were planted at 26
1/4" apart. The whole stalk method results in a dense linear row of
plants each spaced about 6 inches apart.
The results reported were for Giant King Grass harvested at
approximately 8 feet tall for animal feed. Four representative
sections of each planting type (replicates) were harvested by hand
and fully characterized. Samples were also sent to Dairy One Forage
Laboratory in Ithaca, New York for
nutritional analysis.
The single node planting yield for the first harvest on
September 2, 2014 was 37.4 fresh tons
per acre (7.2 dry tons) and 58 days later, on October 30, 2014, the yield for the second
harvest was 31.4 fresh tons per acre (5.4 dry tons).
The crude protein level for the second harvest was 17.3% of dry
matter. The whole stalk planting yield was about 27% lower with a
crude protein level of 14.7%.
Dr. Bachie stated during the presentation, "This is the most
giant grass I have ever seen. It is truly gigantic in terms of the
biomass crops we are growing in the Imperial Valley." Dr. Bachie
emphasized that although the first two harvests were very
impressive, the research program will continue for at least one
year and the overall results will be compiled and published in the
future.
VIASPACE CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen,
reported, "I believe we have demonstrated that Giant King Grass
grows well in the extremely hot dry desert environment of the
Imperial Valley. We hope to get five harvests per year and this
could yield more than 150 fresh tons and 30 dry tons per acre per
year. This high yield would be spectacular. The crude protein level
is much higher than seen in oat hay, sorghum or Sudan grass. It is excellent animal feed. I am
very pleased with the results in the Imperial Valley so far.
VIASPACE is seeing similar results in our California nursery and in Nicaragua."
VIASPACE is growing Giant King Grass in 11 locations in 8
countries on 4 continents, and it has been extensively tested by
third party laboratories for electricity production, biogas,
biofuel, pellet and animal feed applications.
About VIASPACE Inc.
VIASPACE grows renewable Giant KingTM Grass as a
low-carbon fuel for clean electricity generation; for
environmentally friendly energy pellets; and as a feedstock for
bio-methane production and for green cellulosic biofuels,
biochemicals and biomaterials. Giant King
Grass is a proprietary, high yield, dedicated biomass energy
crop. Giant King Grass when it is
cut frequently at 4 to 9 feet tall is also excellent animal feed.
The USDA granted approval for planting Giant King Grass throughout
the US and cooperates in exporting by performing the required
inspections and issuing the phytosanitary certificate needed for
import into foreign countries. Giant King
Grass is being grown in California, Hawaii, St. Croix Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, South
Africa, China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Guyana, Jamaica and Philippines. For more
information, please go to www.VIASPACE.com or contact Dr.
Jan Vandersande, Director of
Communications, at 800-517-8050 or IR@VIASPACE.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Information in this news release includes forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements relate to future
events or future performance and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results,
levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, without limitation, risks
outlined in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2013, and
other factors over which VIASPACE has little or no control.
SOURCE VIASPACE Inc.