The history of claimsmaking by applied scientists about kudzu (Pueraria lobata) in the American South reveals three distinct periods: a period of enthusiasm when kudzu was defined as an agricultural solution (1917–1953), a time of disenchantment when kudzu was defined as an ecological problem (1954–1984), and a period of tempered enthusiasm when new uses for kudzu were proposed (1985‐present). Experts framed scientific findings within a social context of assumptions about the usefulness of applied science, controlling kudzu, kudzu's Japanese origins, and Southern race relations. Thus, claims about kudzu illustrate the construction of applied scientists’ claims.
Floral entrepreneurs: Kudzu as agricultural solution and ecological problem
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