A report produced by our colleagues from France 3 Grand Est set out to meet farmers in the Vosges who are starting to cultivate silphia. This plant with golden yellow flowers, which can measure up to 3 meters in height, is the envy of many: it consumes very little water, is rich in protein, can produce biogas and also reduces the use of phytosanitary products.
A heat resistant plant
Little greedy in water, the silphie is known to resist very well to periods of drought – as is the case at the moment. However, it is also capable of holding out for two and a half months with its feet in the water, in the event of severe weather. The Chamber of Agriculture of Alsace specifies “the silphie resists drought well in summer and supports excess water at the end of winter, as well as negative temperatures (down to –30° C) and small frosts. spring”. It is therefore a plant that knows how to adapt to all climates and which is above all very rich in protein.
With this benefit, it is able to turn into animal food, which reduces dependence on soybean meal, for example. Also, the silphie can be used to generate green electricity with a convincing yield, around 4000 to 5000 m3 of biogas per cultivated hectare.
The breeding of dromedaries settles in France, in the Larzac, that’s it, finally! The silphie, a plant that beats all records for resistance to heat and cold, which produces honey and fodder in abundance, is also taking hold. Fortunately, clever farmers innovate! pic.twitter.com/pGIKJraYRa
— Alexandre Page (author) (@page_alexandre) August 3, 2022
In Germany, the silphie is popular (6,000 hectares are cultivated) but the price remains a brake on its development across the Rhine. Indeed, it is necessary to count 1,800 euros per hectare knowing that it only begins to grow in the second year. In the longer term, the calculation is however very advantageous: it then only has the cost of harvesting since it does not reseed itself.
A long-term return
Our colleagues also specify that it should not be plowed, which also ensures valuable savings. Even a methanizer will be able to repay it in 4 years. In conclusion of its report released in 2019, the Alsatian Agricultural Chamber simply adds “you shouldn’t be afraid to invest in the first year (soil preparation, weeding, etc.). We have to make sure that everything goes well: this will determine the potential of the next few years”.
The silphie also knows how to attract bees which like to gather pollen from the yellow flowers. On the other hand, its high density scares away wild boars, which also gives it more security than maize. With all these virtues, several French chambers of agriculture have decided to finance trials to prove the performances announced.
