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KUDZU
Pueraria thunbergiana S. & Z. Benth. [=P. lobata (Willd.) Ohwi], family Leguminosae

Kudzu is a perennial, coarse, rapid-growing, long-lived twining plant. It is grown in the southeastern States for forage, pasture, soil improvement, and erosion control. Two decades ago, 300,000 acres were planted to kudzu in this area (Wheeler 1950). It is most frequently used along roadsides for erosion control (fig. 119). Interest in kudzu has decreased in recent years, probably because the species is not tolerant to grazing, and because its tendency to spread and crowd out other plants makes it undesirable in many places.

[gfx] FIGURE 119. - Kudzu, growing upon a steep slope, controls erosion and affords grazing for cattle.

Plant:

Kudzu has roundish trifoliate leaves, 2 to 4 inches across, and runners that may reach 60 feet in length. These runners frequently engulf large standing dead trees. Kudzu can be established by seeds, cuttings, or young transplants. The crowns of old plants will transplant, but their size and bulk limit their use. For this reason, seeds are preferred. Its propagation has been somewhat handicapped because of its poor seed setting ability (Dabadghao 1949).

Inflorescence:

Kudzu flowers are purple to reddish, and are produced in relative abundance in some areas and on some vines (fig. 120), but many that open will wilt and shed. Turner (l 959) stated that flowering is unknown in Texas. Mes (1953) stated that in Africa flowering occurs during the second season, and the flowers produce a sweet aroma. E. A. Hollowell (personal commun., 1971) stated that the plant must climb before it flowers. Wheeler ( 1950) stated that large purple flowers are produced in relative abundance, and precede the clusters of densely hairy pods, which are about 2 inches long and with usually few or no seed. Tabor (1942) noted that more seed set on old vines. Dabadghao (1949) also studied seed setting and recorded the appearance of flowers at 3 years of plant age. Mes (1953) stated that ripening required 21/2 to 3 months after the flower opened and that pollen was on the stigmas of some of the flowers that shed. Mes (1953) also noted that fruit setting took place at intervals on all inflorescences simultaneously, followed by a general period of flower shedding. He stated that when the wings and keel are depressed by the weight of a bee, the style, stigma, and anthers emerge through the gap at the tip of the keel; when the weight is removed they recede into the keel. The stigmatic surface is slightly above the top of the anthers. The stamens are all the same length. Pollen is shed when the flower opens.

[gfx] FIGURE 120. - Kudzu vine with flower clusters.

Pollination Requirements:

Wheeler and Hill (1957*) noted that three to five seeds per pod frequently mature, but there may be as many as 12. Mes (1953) caged a number of inflorescences and all flowers shed; he concluded that cross- pollination is necessary. Wheeler and Hill (1957*) concluded that a way will eventually be found to produce seed commercially, then the demand will increase. It would seem that if a method can be found to properly handle the pollination of this crop, then increased seed production will result.

Pollinators:

Bees are the only insects mentioned as pollinators of kudzu.

Pollination Recommendations and Practices:

Although planting seed is preferable to setting young plants or cuttings, the scarcity of seeds precludes this. An appropriate bee population might enable seed production to be practical, but no such usage has been developed. No recommendation currently exists on the use of insect pollinators on this crop.

LITERATURE CITED:

DABADGHAO, P. M.
1949. SEED SETTING IN KUDZU VINE (PUERARIA THUNBERGIANA) Current Sci. 10: 379 - 380. 238

MES, M. G.
1953. STUDIES ON GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE BUDZU VINE. So. African Jour. Sci. 49(11): 335 - 339.

TABOR, P.
1942. SEED PRODUCTION BY KUDZU (PUERARIA THUNBERGIANA) IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES DURING 1941. Amer. Soc. Agron. Jour. 34: 389.

TURNER, B. L.
1959. THE LEGUMES OF TEXAS. 283 pp. University of Texas Press, Austin.

WHEELER, W. A.
1950.FORAGE AND PASTURE CROPS. 752 pp. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York.

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