future science group 9110.
4155/BFS.
09.
4 © 2010 Future Science Ltd
Jatropha curcas L.
(further referred to as Jatropha) is a
rapidly emerging biofuel crop currently attracting a lot
of interest and investments [1].
This stem-succulent [2]
deciduous tree...
More
future science group 9110.
4155/BFS.
09.
4 © 2010 Future Science Ltd
Jatropha curcas L.
(further referred to as Jatropha) is a
rapidly emerging biofuel crop currently attracting a lot
of interest and investments [1].
This stem-succulent [2]
deciduous tree or shrub produces seeds rich in toxic oil
(27–40% [3]).
The oil can be extracted easily with techniques of different sophistication levels [4,5].
The crude
Jatropha oil meets the fuel quality standards of rapeseed [6] and can be easily converted into biodiesel, meeting US and European standards [7,8].
However, although
the downstream processing is well known, the species’
agronomy and, as such, the potential seed production, is
still shrouded in uncertainty.
Popular claims on drought tolerance, low nutrient requirement, pest and disease resistance and high
yields [9] have triggered a Jatropha hype [4,10] with skyhigh expectations on simultaneous wasteland reclamation,
fuel production, poverty reduction and large returns on
inves
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