Cuphea production and management

Abstract

The genus Cuphea (Lythraceae) is quite unique in that most of its 265 different species synthesize and store primarily medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) in their seeds, and many flourish in temperate climates. Presently, the United States and other developed countries import millions of tons of tropical plant-related oils to provide MCFA for industrial chemical manufacturing. Cuphea can serve as an additional source for these fatty acids. Since about the early 1980s, a concerted effort in the United States has been made to domesticate cuphea as a commercial, temperate climate crop source of MCFA for the manufacturing of a myriad of industrial chemicals. The biggest breakthrough came in the 1990s when more agronomically friendly genotypes were developed through the interspecific hybridization of C. viscosissima and C. lanceolata. Since that time, significant strides have been made in developing best agricultural management practices for the commercial production of cuphea. Currently, small-scale seed production has taken place in the northern Corn Belt region of the United States for high-end value products such as those manufactured by the cosmetic industry. This review primarily focuses on advancements that have been made over the past decade in developing agricultural management for cuphea production.