Cultivation and Processing of Jatropha Seeds
Jatropha is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family. The seed is non-edible but has variety of other applications. It is mainly cultivated in the tropics and sub-tropic regions of the world. The seed contains 27-40% oil. The seeds are highly poisonous and thus they are not consumed. It contains several . In some regions, the seeds are eaten after roasting. Roasting reduces its toxicity. The sap of the plant is a skin irritant. Despite so many negative points, jatropha curcas does have few positives.
The stems of the plant are used to make baskets in Mexico. The stems are roasted, split and soaked through an elaborate process. The seeds also contain a fair amount of oil. The oil is mainly converted into bio-diesel for use in diesel engines. The cake can be used as fish or animal feed (if detoxified). It is also used as biomass feedstock to power electricity plants or as biogas or as a high quality organic fertilizer.
jatropha curcas is usually grown in areas with heavy rainfall. Very high temperatures can depress the yields. The plant is well adapted to areas with high light intensity and is unsuited for growing in the shade. The best soils for jatropha seeds are aerated sands and looms. Heavy soils are less suitable and thus should be avoided. Jatropha is known for its ability to survive in very poor dry soils.
In jatropha curcas plantations, intercropping is a common practice. In Uttar Pradesh, groundnuts grow successfully in between lines of jatropha plantations. The seed usually has low nutrient requirement because it grows in poor soils. However, jatropha curcas needs immense rainfall to grow well. It shows a flowering response to rainfall. After short period of drought, rain induces flowering. Pests and diseases do not pose a threat to jatropha due to its toxic characteristics.
India is one of the world's leading cultivators of jatropha. It is used as a feedstock for biodiesel. Hindustan Petroleum is partnering to plant an additional 15,000 hectares. Usually wastelands are used to cultivate jatropha. In India, the major states that produce jatropha are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Ahmednagar.