Jatropha curcas

The references in this article or section may not meet Wikipedia's guidelines for reliable sources. Please help by checking whether the references meet the criteria for reliable sources. Further discussion may be found on the talk page. This article has been tagged since September 2009.

Jatropha curcas
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Embryophyta
Class:	Spermatopsida
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Genus:	Jatropha
Species:	J. curcas
Binomial name
Jatropha curcas Linnaeus 1753

Jatropha curcas, Barbados nut or Physic nut is a perennial poisonous shrub (normally up to 5 m high^[1]) belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. It is an uncultivated non-food wild-species.

The plant, originating in Central America ^[2], whereas it has been spread to other tropical and subtropical countries as well ^[3] and is mainly grown in Asia and in Africa, where it is known as Pourghère. It is used as a living fence to protect gardens and fields from animals. ^[4]

It is resistant to a high degree of aridity (it can be planted even in the desert ^[5][6]).

The seeds contain 27-40% oil ^[7] (average: 34.4% ^[8]) that can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel fuel, usable in a standard diesel engine.

Contents 1 Botanical features 2 Cultivation 3 Propagation 4 Gallery 5 Processing 6 Uses 6.1 Biodiesel 6.2 Other uses 7 Other names 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links

Botanical features

• Leaves: large green to pale-green leaves.
• Flowers: more female flowers yield more seeds
• Fruits : fruits are produced in winter, or there may be several crops during the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are sufficiently high.
• Seeds: the seeds are mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow.

Cultivation

Cultivation is uncomplicated. Jatropha curcas grows in tropical and subtropical regions.^[9] The plant can grow in wastelands and grows on almost any terrain, even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can thrive in poor and stony soils, although new research suggests that the plant's ability to adapt to these poor soils is not as extensive as had been previously stated. Complete germination is achieved within 9 days. Adding manure during the germination has negative effects during that phase, but is favorable if applied after germination is achieved. It is usually propagated by cuttings as this yields faster results than multiplication by seeds. The flowers only develop terminally (at the end of a stem), so a good ramification (plants presenting many branches) produces the greatest amount of fruits. Another productivity factor is the ratio between female and male flowers within an inflorescence (usually about 1 female to 10 male flowers - more female flowers mean more fruits)^[10]. Jatropha curcas thrives on a mere 250 mm (10 in) of rain a year, and only during its first two years does it need to be watered in the closing days of the dry season. Ploughing and planting are not needed regularly, as this shrub has a life expectancy of approximately forty years. The use of pesticides and other polluting substances are not necessary, due to the pesticidal and fungicidal properties of the plant.

While Jatropha curcas starts yielding from 9–12 months time, the effective yield is obtained only after 2 – 3 years time.

If planted in hedges, the reported productivity of Jatropha is from 0.8 kg. to 1.0 kg. of seed per meter of live fence. The seed production is around 3.5 tons / hectare (Seed production ranges from about 0.4 tons per hectare in first year to over 5 tons per hectare after 3 years).

Propagation

Jatropha curcas has limited potential for vegetative propagation and is usually propagated by seed (^{Condradiction - see talk page}. It is cross-pollinated and propagation through seed leads to a lot of genetic variability in terms of growth, biomass, seed yield and oil content. Besides, the problems of low viability and recalcitrant nature of oil seeds limits the sexual propagation. On the other hand, clonal techniques will help in overcoming the biological problems hindering mass propagation of this tree-borne oilseed species.

Jatropha curcas can be propagated by seed as well as vegetatively. Propagation by seed. Vegetatively, this crop can be propagated by stem cuttings, grafting, budding as well as by air layering techniques.^[11] The investigation leads to the recommendation that cuttings should be taken preferably from juvenile plants and treated with 200 micro gram per litre of IBA (rooting hormone) to ensure the highest level of rooting in stem cuttings of Jatropha curcas. Thus stem cuttings, grafting, budding and air layering methods of propagation could be used as a potential protocol for commercial propagation of Jatropha curcas.

Gallery

propagation of Jatropha curcas by stem cutting

propagation of Jatropha curcas by grafting

propagation of Jatropha curcas by Air layering

Processing

Seed extraction is made simple with the use of the Universal Nut Sheller, an appropriate technology designed by the Full Belly Project.

Oil content varies from 28% to 30% and 94% extraction, one hectare of plantation will give 1.6t (metric tonne) of oil if the soil is average. ^[12]

The oily seeds are processed into oil, which may be used directly ("Straight Vegetable Oil") to fuel combustion engines or may be subjected to transesterification to produce biodiesel. Jatropha oil is not suitable for human consumption, as it induces strong vomiting and diarrhea.

A colourant can also be derived from the seed.

Uses

Biodiesel

Other uses

(The information in this section is largely inspired from the Purdue University - Center for New Crops and Plants Products website ^[13].)

• Leaves

The young leaves may be safely eaten, steamed or stewed. Cooked with goat meat, they are said to advantageously counteract its smell.

Pounded leaves are applied near horses' eyes to repel flies in India. HCN (Hydrogen cyanide) is present in the leaves.

• Flowers

The species is listed as a honey plant. HCN is present.^[14].

• Nuts

Sometimes roasted and eaten, although they are purgative.

They can be burned like candlenuts when strung on grass. HCN is present^[15].

Used as a contraceptive in South Sudan^[16].

• Seeds

Also used as a contraceptive in South Sudan^[16].

The oil has been used for illumination, soap, candles, the adulteration of olive oil, and making Turkey red oil. Turkey red oil, also called sulphonated (or sulfated) castor oil, is the only oil that completely disperses in water. It is made by adding sulfuric acid to pure Jatropha oil^[17]. It was the first synthetic detergent after ordinary Soap, as this allows easy use for making bath oil products. It is used in formulating lubricants, softeners, and dyeing assistants^[18].

The seeds in the zone around Misantla, Veracruz are very appreciated by the population as food once they have been boiled and roasted. It is unclear if this is due to the existence of a non-toxic variety of Jatropha in Mexico and Central America, or if the seeds become edible once processed by cooking^[19].

It is also similarly reported that Jatropha seeds are edible once the embryo has been removed^[20]. Again it may be so because of these seeds coming from a local non-toxic variety. HCN is present.

• Roots

Their ashes are used as a salt substitute. HCN and Rotenone are present.^[21]

• Bark

Used as a fish poison. HCN is present.^[22].

• Latex

Strongly inhibits the watermelon mosaic virus^[23].

• Sap

It stains linen. Sometimes used for marking^[24].

• Shrub

Mexicans grow the shrub as a host for the lac insect, which is used in medicine as hepatoprotective and antiobesity drug. (Picture of lac insect here [4]; drawing of insect, its larva and a colony here[5])

Used for erosion control^[25], ^[1]

Other names

• Pinhão manso in Brazil
• Tempate in Nicaragua
• kasla also tubatuba or tubang bakod in Philippines
• Purging nut
• Jarak pagar in Indonesia
• Mbono in Tanzania
• Pourghère in Francophone Africa
• Lahong Kwang in Cambodia
• Cay Dau Lai in Viet Nam
• Dang iu ciu in Taiwan
• Lapalapa in [Nigeria]
• uMhlafutho in Zimbabwe (in isiNdebele)
• Aamanaku in India(Tamil Nadu)
• "'Mak Nyao"' in Lao

See also

• Jatropha
• Energy crop
• Non food crop

Notes

References

• Gadekar Kumarsukhadeo Prakash. (2006) Department of Forestry, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur (C.G.)M.Sc. Forestry Thesis "Vegetative propagation of Jatropha, Karanj and Mahua by Stem cuttings, Grafting, Budding and Air layering"

External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Jatropha curcas

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jatropha curcas

• "Mali’s Farmers Discover a Weed’s Potential Power". New York Times. September 9, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/world/africa/09biofuel.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2007-09-09. 
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Jatropha Curcas
• “Jaropha curcas l. in Africa - Assessment of the impact of the dissemination of “the Jatropha System” on the ecology of the rural area and the social and economic situation of the rural population (target group) in selected countries in Africa”. Annexe 7 of this paper presents an “Economic analysis of JCL utilization in Tanzania - Economy of Jatropha Utilization in Tanzania. Data from Kakute, 2003”, covering small-scale economic data on the collection of seeds, oil making and soap making.

v • d • e Bioenergy Biofuels Algae fuel • Bagasse • Babassu oil • Biobutanol • Biodiesel • Biogas • Biogasoline • Cellulosic ethanol • Ethanol fuel • Stover • Straw • Vegetable oil Energy from Foodstock Hemp • Maize • Corn stover • Rapeseed • Sorghum bicolor • Soybean • Sugarcane • Sunflower Non-food Energy Crops Arundo • Big bluestem • Chinese tallow • Duckweed • Jatropha curcas • Miscanthus giganteus • Switchgrass • Pongamia pinnata • Wood fuel Technology Bioconversion • Biomass heating systems • Biorefinery • Fischer-Tropsch process • Industrial biotechnology • Pellet mill • Pellet stove • Thermal depolymerization Concepts Cellulosic ethanol commercialization • Energy content of biofuel • Energy crop • Energy forestry • EROEI • Food vs. fuel • Sustainable biofuel