The Advanced Biofuel Center (CJP) is a bioenergy crop research and development company that is meeting global demand for sustainable plant oil, specializing in the development of Moringa as a low-cost, sustainable source of oil, recently announced the launch of MOMAX 3, a proprietary cultivar of Moringa optimized for Moringa growing conditions with yields 300 percent greater than existing varieties.
ABC is a crop science Research & development entity, but by instinct it is a commercial multiproduct and services company seeking to valorize a range of products, services and business opportunities that are being developed around Moringa. In common with its peers the company initiated its operations in the second half of the first decade of this century. Its research focus was India, the region of origin for Moringa, where it developed an extensive germplasm library. The result of 7 years of applied investment and research is reflected in MOMAX3 Perennial Moringa cultivar, a suite of enabling technologies and an ambition to transform Moringa into a versatile crop for diverse agricultural and climatic environments.
ABC’s ability to achieve Seeds yields of 7MT/ha and greater in Year 1‐3 have been ascribed to the confluence of several important traits influencing yield:
- high number of seeds per fruit (this elite produces a large percentage of average 18‐seeded pods)
- the comparatively heavy seed weight (over 30 grams/100 seed)
- expressed early flowering trait (both after seeding and pruning) in comparison to the other conventional varieties.
ABC reports an achieved rate of germination of between 90%‐95% when direct seeding its MOMAX3 Improved seeds.
Reduced Time to Maturity
ABC reports that its MOMAX3 Improved are able to realize something close to full assumed productivity between years 1 and 3 from germination. Current ABC Improved seeds have a reported average oil content of 40%
Biomass
The ABC reports that its MOMAX3 Improved yield upwards of 85mt/ha annual green biomass. The pruning’s and pericarp (fruit hulls) are high in cellulosic fermentable, which make them ideal for
(i) burning for the production of energy
(ii) refining for the production of ethanol or biodiesel or
(iii) conversion into other high value products like OSB/particle board, protein meal etc.
Ability to Scale
The ABC’s commercial seed production programme is claimed to provide the necessary scaling and deployment capabilities to meet customers’ needs.
ABC also provides a customized offering of solutions and services to help customers design, plan, and manage commercial energy crop projects. The ABC has developed region and site specific local agronomic protocols including irrigation, crop nutritional requirements, and management of disease, insects and weeds to help ensure the success of each plantation. ABC provides the full array of these services from à la carte consulting engagements to provision of fully‐integrated plantation project solutions.
Sustainability
ABC’s MOMAX3 Improved seeds have been developed to maximize an array of superior traits, including the ability to grow on under‐utilized lands. The material can be cultivated on land that otherwise may simply lie barren, while eliminating the direct competition for land that may otherwise be utilized for food production. Moringa plantations have already been shown to have a positive effect on greenhouse gas emissions as well as overall land value
Cost‐ Effectiveness
The MOMAX3 Moringa cultivar is capable of producing commercial quantities of high quality and quantity seeds oil and it exhibits a capacity for desirable characteristics including:
- Faster growth For higher yields at early age just after 4-6 months
- Superior branching More flower bearing branches
- Stronger tissue / fibre for stronger branches & trunks
- Open shorter bushy morphology
- More sunlight to flowering branches, greater yield per plant, and easier harvesting
- Tighter flowering pattern and thus more uniform fruit maturation & ripening , commercial plantations require more concentrated harvesting periods for efficiency and cost control
- Increased resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors.
The yields and profitability of MOMAX3 and the MOMAX platform far exceed what is currently available through existing varieties of Moringa,” said DP Maharshi, President and Chief Executive Officer of ABC & Moringa India.
MOMAX3 increases the profitability of Moringa to greater than 300 percent above existing commercial varieties. This equates to more than 950 gallons per ha , enabling the large-scale growth of the oil industry and development opportunities for community farmers, plantation developers and renewable energy investors.
MOMAX 3 and the MOMAX Moringa Optimization Platform Moringa India draw on more than multi- years of research, the strength of the Advanced Biofuel Center. The Advanced Biofuel Center’s MOMAX3 cultivar has enhanced fruit yield, pest resistance, soil adaptation, improved flowering capabilities, uniformity and improved harvesting, all of which enhance profitability per ha of the crop.
“MOMAX 3 is the tip of the iceberg in the development of Moringa as a seed oil crop,” said Maharshi. “While perennial moringa now has a significant head-start, we anticipate continued advancements through the MOMAX platform that will further enhance the productivity and profitability of Moringa for growers around the world.”
To order MOMAX3 Seeds, check here
About MORINGA INDIA
Moinga India is making huge efforts, experiments, research to harness the harnessing the “superfood” powers of Moringa oleifera, a drought-resistant tree native to North India and widely used throughout the topics for in solving this global problem.
Moringa shows great promise as a tool to help overcome some of the most severe problems in the developing world—malnutrition, deforestation, impure water and poverty. The tree does best in the dry regions where these problems are worst. Green leafy vegetables and fruits supply much needed essential micro-nutrients like beta-carotene [vitamin A], vitamin C, folic acid, and also calcium and potassium. Moringa leaves in particular are a rich, inexpensive source of micro-nutrients. Although few people have ever heard of it today, Mission Moringa India is to establish the Moringa to become one of the world’s most valuable plants, at least in humanitarian terms
Moringa India has been formed to identify the factors limiting the adoption and use of the Moringa Tree for Agricultural Development for Producing Biodiesel and to explore the important role Moringa play in the lives of rural people and the global economy deliberating advancement of existing and future agricultural development projects. It’s experience, expertise, and views about Moringa and its use for agriculture development for the purposes of reducing hunger and poverty and formulate strategies for developing moringa failsafe farms and also helps new growers to have holistic information on moringa crop with academic research activities in Agronomy, Horticulture, and Biology, industrial practices in biofuels , Marketing and Financial aspects of Moringa commercialization. It will be a great pleasure to share the up-to-date advances in both fundamental researches and engineering practices, and to project the areas where we may contribute to to harness the full potential of moringa for betterment of people and planet
Moringa India is one of the largest growers of Moringa Oleifera and maintains Moringa farms in scientific manner. With its extensive experiences in the field, enhanced technology, plant science & professional knowledge, effective consulting service and business intelligence, Moringa India has developed a set of tools/service to develop Moringa business from soil to superfood, from farming to fuel
