Attn:David Erskine/Parasitic plants etc...

[Dodderin' Ol' Don]

 David & Richard -

Excuse me for nosing into this thread but ...

>Sugar is easy to transport and stores well. Preferably, sugar
>will be synthesised where it is used, using local carbon,
>hydrogen and oxygen. Food combusts to CO2 and water, and CO2 and
>water can, in principle, be made back into sugar again, using
>electric energy from, say, radioisotopes.

Doesn't "food" constitute more than just sugar (and what particular sugar do
you have in mind?)

>>    I am unaware of any parasitic plants that may be or are capable of
>>providing any kind of significant nutrition. Maybe, someone out there
>>knows of some.

How about the mushroom & fungus families (mycilea? spelling?) Would it be
possible to genetically engineer a fungus that would not depend upon decayed
plant matter?

Don