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What is Jatropha?
Jatropha is a bush which has grown across the Americas, Africa and Asia for centuries.
Jatropha has been used to make soap and candles, or as a remedy for constipation, high fevers and even malaria.
Jatropha is also highly toxic. Just four seeds from its plum-sized fruit is enough to kill, while the milky sap from the jatropha bark can stain the skin and irritate it for days.
Goldman Sachs recently cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production.
Because jatropha is not edible, and because it can grow in harsh climates, it can be planted in areas where it won't compete for resources needed to grow food
Jatropha is found to be growing in many parts of the world, rugged in nature and can survive with minimum inputs and is easy to propagate.
Medically, Jatropha is used for diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis, dropsy etc.
Jatropha grows wild in many areas and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop can be obtained with little effort.
Jatropha Grows on well-drained soils with good aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient content. On heavy soils, root formation is
reduced. Jatropha is a highly adaptable species, but its strength as a crop comes from its ability to grow on very poor and dry sites. Benefits to jatropha include.
- Jatropha seeds are low cost
- Jatropha Oil burns with clear smoke-free flame
- Jatropha Curcas is resistant to drought and can be planted even in the desert climates, and it thrives on any type of soil, grows almost anywhere; in sandy, gravelly and saline soils.
- Jatropha needs minimal input or management.
- Jatropha has a High oil content
- Jatropha has no known insect pests and it is not browsed by cattle or sheep.
- Jatropha plant size makes collection of seeds more convenient
- Jatropha Propagation is easy.
- Jatropha seeds can be harvested in non-rainy season
- Jatropha Curcas growth is rapid; forms a thick live hedge after only a month's planting.
- The plant can grow in wastelands (where food crops can't)
- Yields four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean
- Yields ten times as much fuel per hectare as corn
- One hectare can produce 1,892 liters of fuel
- Converting plant oil to clean fuel requires only one step
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