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.

Copyright 2014 PR Newswire

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