Jatropha curcas

(Flowering twig of Jatropha curcas with fruits)

Jatropha curcas L. belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a multi-purpose tree. Its origin was found in Central America over 70 million years ago.

Botanical Characters:

It is an Annual plant having life span of approximately 50 years. It is a small tree or shrub with smooth gray bark , which gives off a whitish colored, watery, latex when cut. Normally, it grows between three and five meters in height.

It has large green to pale-green leaves. Flowers are formed terminally, individually. The flowering takes place in the hot season and the female flowers are comparatively larger. The fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless. The seeds mature in two to four months after fertilization. As the seeds mature the capsule changes its colour from green to yellow,. The oil content of the seed range between 33-40% and 50-60% in kernel. Each seed is about 2 cm (3/4 inch) long. The plant starts giving seed in a period of one to two years after planting but reaches to the maximum productivity level after 4-5 years. At yellow stage, the fruits are harvested. The fruits are allowed to ripe and fall to ground or being harvested by plucking. The cleaned seeds are decorticated  prior to pressing or expelling.

( Jatropha curcas seed)

 

Cultivation:

Jatropha plants can be grown on waste and other lands such as along the canals, roads railways tracks, on borders of farmers’ field as boundary fence or live hedge in the arid/semi-arid areas and even on alkaline soils. The plant density is supposed to be of 2500 per hectare (spacing of 2 X 2 meters) and in rain fed areas on poor soils a lower plant density of 1666 is desirable. One way of the plantation is directly sowing the seeds. Another way is to grow seedlings in a nursery and to plant the 3-4 months old seedlings at the beginning of the rainy season.It can also be propagated from cuttings. The cuttings should be about 60 to 120 cm long and are placed about 20 cm into the soil.

Oil Extraction:

The Oil Extraction can be done with engine driven expellers. These are simple machines, which can be operated at village level and built within the country.

Other Uses  of  Jatropha:

• The oil is extensively used for making soap in some countries. The bark of Jatropha curcas yields a dark blue dye which is used for colouring cloth, fishing nets and lines.
  
• The latex of Jatropha contains an alkaloid known as "jatrophine" which is believed to have anti-cancerous properties. The roots are reported to be used as an antidote for snake-bites.
  
• The leaves are used for fumigating houses against bed-bugs.
  
• The non-edible vegetable oil of Jatropha curcas has characteristics comparable to diesel.

 

Yields and Economics:

In suitable plantation, Jatropha gives about 2 kgs of seed per tree. In relatively poor soils the yields have been reported to be 1 kg per plant. Seed production ranges from about 0.4 tons per hectare per year to 12t/ha. Jatropha cultivation generates an income of Rs. 25000/ per hectare* in existing system of farming.

* Source: Society for rural initiatives for promotion of herbals
              (www.maxpages.com/jatropha)