Jatropha curcas, a Novel Crop for Developing the Marginal Lands

Abstract

Jatropha curcas L. has more attention from researchers and policymakers as an inexpensive source for produce biofuel to reduce environmental pollution by fossil fuel in the next decades without competing for lands and freshwater currently used for food production. Jatropha is a perennial deciduous, succulent oilseed shrub, belonging to family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to Central and South America. It is a multipurpose shrub, each part of the plant can be used for various purposes, Jatropha produces flowers throughout the year and enables multiple harvests, while, in arid and semi-arid regions it is harvesting twice time per year.Jatropha is a drought-tolerant plant that could be growing under malnutrition conditions, and in different climatic conditions; therefore, it is proper plant for developing marginal lands and rural areas.Due to the growing demand for biofuel, jatropha cultivation has received more attention to providing seeds. While, there are various aspects of using jatropha include use as a traditional medicine for treating skin ailments, as a hedge for protecting other crops, to reduce soil degradation, combating desertification, and deforestation, also, jatropha cultivation protects the environment through using wastewater in irrigation and reduce sequester carbon dioxide.Conventional propagation of Jatropha propagated by seeds or stem cutting which is a more satisfactory technique to produce high-yielding seedlings, while, tissue culture method used in propagation but on small scale.Jatropha curcas L. contains mixtures of numerous active substances in all parts of the plant, which are used as biopesticides, larvicides, fungicide, and nematicide; also extracts are used as pesticides for whiteflies and termites.Jatropha crude oil is used for industrial purposes like manufacturing candles, soaps, varnishes, and as a lubricant; also press seedcake is used to produce biogas and organic fertilizers. Jatropha propagated by seeds or stem cutting which is more applicable techniques to produce high-yielding seedlings, also, tissue culture method used in propagation but on small scale for scientific work.

Keywords: Biofuel; Biopesticides; Environment; Jatropha curcas; Marginal lands; Wastewater.