INTRODUCTION What is Jatropha? Scientifically known as Jatropha curcas L.

cas L. Locally known as tuba-tuba, tubing, bakod, kasla a non-edible plant that grows mostly in tropical countries like the Philippines drought resistant easily be planted and propagated; One of the higher yielding oil crop

Jatropha curcas or psychic nut has become a new source of biodiesel. It is native to central America but is now found in tropical regions of Asia and Africa. Various banks and government agencies offer several incentives for jatropha cultivation. Compared to other vegetable oils like palm oil and sunflower oil, which are expensive, non-edible oil from jatropha curcas is cheaper. The plant can be grown on arid waste lands. It was earlier used for fencing as the seeds are poisonous (contain toxalbumin curcin) to human beings, most animals and birds. The plants can grow on any type of soil. The jatropha seeds are black in color ad two centimeters long. If you purchase jatropha seeds, not all seeds will germinate. Jatropha plants can also grow from cuttings. The jatropha curcas plant is a small tree or a large shrub which can grow to up to 6 m in height. The rate of growth and yield of seeds depends to a large extent on the rainfall and temperature variations. If the rainfall is plentiful, the plant will start yielding seeds within a year. On an average a plant has a life of about 50 years. The flowers are usually pollinated by moths at night which are attracted by the scent of the plant. Jatropha curcas is mainly cultivated for extraction of biodiesel and is one of the best sources of biofuels. In studies of various biofuels, one hectare of Jatropha Curcas yields 6-8 MT of seeds. One ton of Jatropha Curcas seeds yields 300kg oil products and 700 kg oil cake. Before Jatropha oil is mixed with diesel, it has transesterified. This results in production of glycerine, and disposal of this glycerine is a problem. In India, jatropha oil is used for powering farm equipment and diesel generator. Southern Railway also uses the biofuel jatropha oil Jatropha oil is also used for making candles and soap. The seed fruit shell is used as a fuel for burning. The seed cake that remains after extraction of jatropha can be used as organic fertiliser or for animal feed. The government plans to reduce the import of petroproducts by selling a mixture of diesel with 5% biodiesel. Jatropha seeds which cost Rs 6 a kg a few years ago, cost Rs 26 per kg due to increased demand. (as of September 2006)

Why Jatropha? 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 no inspect pests it is not browsed by cattle or sheep. Jatropha Curcas can survive long periods of drought. Jatropha Propagation is easy. Jatropha Curcas growth is rapid; forms a thick live hedge after only a month's planting. Jatropha Curcas starts yielding from the second year onwards and continues for 40 years. The Meal after extraction an excellent organic manure Jatropha Curcas quickly establishes itself and will produce seeds round the year if irrigated. Other than extracting Bio diesel from Jatropha Curcas plant, the leaf and the bark are used for various other industrial and pharmaceutical uses. Localized production and availability of quality fuel restoration of degraded land over a period of time. Approximately 31 to 37 % of oil extracted from the Jatropha Curcas seed. It can be used for any diesel engine without modification Jatropha Characteristics: Special Identification Features: Jatropha curcas is a large coarse annual shrub or small short lived tree which can grow 3.5 to 4.5 metres (8-15 feet) tall. It has thin, often greenish bark which exudes copious amounts of watery sap when cut. Habitat: Widely cultivated as an ornamental. Prefers arid environments. Description, chemical structure, stability Curcin: Phytotoxins or toxalbumins are large, complex protein molecules of high toxicity. They resemble bacterial toxins in structure and physiological effects. Phytotoxins are heat labile, and can be positively identified by

precipitin reactions with sera containing known antibodies (Kingsbury 1964). Curcin is said to be highly irritant and remains in the seed after the oil has been expressed. Other physico-chemical characteristics: Curcin is unable to penetrate cell walls, this has been indicated by the fact that these proteins do not affect protein synthesis by Ehrlich ascites cells. This is thought to be because they lack a carrier moiety or at least the galactose-binding groups by which ricin binds to cell membranes. This was discovered when it was found that the activity of curcin in cell-free systems is not increased by treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol, which greatly enhances the inhibitory effect of ricin and abrin by splitting their molecules into an effector and a carrier moiety. Toxicity: In some instances as few as three seeds have produced toxic symptoms. In others, consumption of as many as 50 seeds has resulted in relatively mild symptoms. There is one report where the ingestion of only one seed in an adult has produced toxic symptoms. It has been suggested that there may be two strains one with toxic seeds and one without (Kingsbury, 1964). Curcin, the phytotoxin or toxalbumin found in Jatropha curcas is similar to ricin the phytotoxin found in the castor bean (Ricinis). The minimum lethal dose of ricin, when administered by injection, may be as small as 0.00000001% of body weight, although oral toxicity is probably several hundred times less. Poisoning from ingestion of the seeds of the Jatropha plant is well known in veterinary practice and autopsy findings include, severe gastro-enteritis, nephritis, myocardial degeneration, haemagglutination, and sub-epicardial and sub-endocardial haemorrhages as well as renal subcortical and subpleural bleeding. One study found a high mortality rate in mice fed 50% and 40% J. curcas. The important symptoms of poisoning included diarrhoea, inability to keep normal posture, depression and lateral recumbency. The degree of the pathological changes observed in the small intestines, liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs was related to the level of Jatropha in the diet. The most marked pathological changes were catarrhal enteritis, erosions of the intestinal mucosa, congestion and haemorrhages in small intestines, heart and lungs and fatty changes in the liver and kidneys. Jatropha Parts and Uses Fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless, or it may produce several crops during the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are sufficiently high. Each inflorescence yields a bunch of approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. A three, bi-valved cocci is formed after the seeds mature and the fleshy exocarp dries. The seeds become mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow, after two to four months Once grown the crop has a fifty years of life. Fruiting can take place in this plant in two years. It yields five-twelve tonnes per hectares oil seeds and produces two -four tones of bio-diesel

Cultivation timeings of Jatropha Nursery raising time:Feb- March, Sep- October Trasplanting of saplings:February - April , In monsoon months Direct seeding sowing:After good rainfall Direct planting by cuttings:Two month before monsoon Manuring time:On trasplantation and after one year Pruning time:March-May Flowering time:May - September, Fruiting time:July- November Harvesting time:August- December (North India) Jatropha plant produces seeds with an oil content of 37%. The oil contains 21% saturated fatty acids and 79% unsaturated fatty acids.There are some chemical elements in the seed which are poisonous and render the oil not appropriate for human consumption. Uses of Jatopha Curcus (Ratanjyot) 1. Non-edible vegetable oil of Jatropha curcas has the requisite potential of providing a promising and commercially viable alternative to diesel oil since it has desirable physicochemical and performance characteristics comparable to diesel. Cars could be run with Jatropha curcas without requiring much change in design. 2. The oil is used as an illuminant without being refined and it burns with clear smokefree flame. 3. Oil has a very high saponification value and is being extensively used for making soap in some countries. 4. The latex of Jatropha contains an alkaloid known as "jatrophine" which is believed to have anti-cancerous properties. 5. It is also used as an external application for skin diseases and rheumatism and for sores on domestic livestock. In addition, the tender twigs of the plant are used for cleaning teeth, while the juice of the leaf is used as an external application for piles. Finally, the roots are reported to be used as an antidote for snake-bites. 6. The bark of Jatropha curcas yields a dark blue dye which is used for coloring cloth, fishing nets and lines. 7. Jatropha oil cake is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium and can be used as organic manure. 8. Jatropha leaves are used as food for the tusser silkworm.

Jatropha curcus or Ratanjyot, can prove itself a miracle plant by turning waste land into a moneymaking land. It can help to increase rural incomes, self-sustainability and alleviate poverty for women, elderly, children and men, tribal communities, small farmers. Products of the exploitation of the Jatropha plant: The uses of jatropha plant are provided in detail. Soap production: The glycerin that is a by-product of biodiesel can be used to make soap, and soap can be produced from Jatropha oil itself. It will produce a soft, durable soap, and the rather simple soap making process is well adapted to household or small-scale industrial activity. Other Uses: Jatropha oil is also used to soften leather and lubricate machinery Jatropha Chemical and Physical Properties PROPERTY Flash point Carbon residue Cetane value Distillation point (C) Kinematics Viscosity Sulphur % Calorific value Pour point Colour Viscosity (cp) (30 C) Speciflc gravity (15 C/4 C) Solidfying Point (C) Saponification Value Iodine Value3 Refractive Index (30C) Acid value Palmitic acid % Stearic acid % Oleic acid % Linoleic acid % Other acids % Oil Yield from Jatropha Jatropha is being heralded as a tree crop for biodiesel production and increasing incomes of small farmers on marginal lands; however, when you plant crops on marginal lands/soils, you can expect to get marginal yields. Plants mine nutrients from the soil, and JATROPHA OIL 240/110 C 0.64 51.0 295 C 50.73 cs 0.13 % 9 470 kcal/kg 8 C 4.0 52.6 (5.51)2 0.917/ 0.923(0.881) 2.0 188 . 198 90.8 -112.5 1.47 1.0 - 38.2 4.2 6.9 43.1 34.3 1.4

to maintain yields, these nutrients need to be replaced. This often means applying chemical fertilizers that even if available, are not affordable to many small farmers. When doing realistic planning on the real economics of a Jatropha project, one must also calculate that fact that optimal seed yield of Jatropha wont be obtainable for several years. Furthermore, marginal farmers most often have access to only a minimal amount to land for food crop production; therefore, what will they have to eat until a sound market for Jatropha oil is developed? The jury is still out on the actual seed and oil yields one can count on from Jatropha plantings. IPGRI concludes that The low yields revealed in several projects may have been caused by the fact that unadapted provenances had been used. If investigation of its genetic diversity and its yield potential had been covered by adequate scientific research, this problem could have been overcome. In the literature reviewed, it could not be determined if adequate research on germplasm improvement is taking place to optimize the per plant yield of nuts and oil content. Since Jatropha clones are readily propagated through cuttings, germplasm improvement to optimize yields should be easier than with many other plants/trees. One must be very careful in selecting a good source of Jatropha germplasm for projects since there is little truth in advertising, and presently the best profitability is in selling seed, cuttings or seedlings produced from plants that are probably not genetically improved and may vary widely in yield. Cloning creates cytoplasmic uniformity in plants making them more susceptible to disease and insect infestation. Furthermore from the literature it is extremely difficult to determine what actual per hectare yield of nuts one can rely upon when growing Jatropha. Most figures cited were projections that often are inflated and over optimistic in order to procure funding for projects. Also, the estimated oil content of the nuts cited in the literature varies considerably, which adds to the difficulty of calculating the profitability of growing Jatropha. Furthermore, optimizing oil extraction from the seeds requires expensive machinery. One can find on page 36 of the IPGRI study a list of yields cited by a number of sources. In the literature, the reports of yields vary greatly and are confusing. This can be attributed to one or a combination of the following factors including: yields are sometimes given in terms of fruits, seeds, nuts, or kernels; confusing terminology used in making yield estimates, e.g., some are made in tons (t) while others are in metric tons (MT); variance in germplasm; unstipulated spacing between plants; no specific data on soils (ranging from marginal to fertile, and if fertilizer was applied); no information on rainfall and other climatic conditions, and if irrigation is being used Reports on yields include that from plantations (mostly projected yields), but it is not mentioned if they were established by vegetative propagation or by direct seeding, on fertile or marginal soils, and if the plantations were irrigated or not. When irrigated, Jatropha trees are said to produce seeds throughout the entire year. Often, there is no mention of the age of the trees/shrubs, nor is the variety/cultivar given. Jatropha trees are

said to begin producing a measurable amount of nuts at 18 months, but are not expected to reach maturity and optimal yields until after 6 years. The IPGRI report gives a conversion factor of 30 kg of fruits yielding approximately 18 kg of seed. One might assume that the fruit to seed ratio may be higher in areas of higher rainfall. In one reference, IPGRI estimates that a yield of at least 2-3t (not MT) of seeds/ha can be achieved in semi-arid areas; however, in another citation, IPGRI reports that in Hisar, Bangalore, India, a quite high seed yield (1,733 kg/ha or 1.733 MT) was observed in one cultivar. IPGRI confuses the issue by reporting the yield in tons and not MT (this could have been an editing mistake, ed.), while giving the area in hectares. Jatropha Oil Extraction Oil Extraction may be done:

Mechanically (by pressing the kernels) Chemically; and Enzymatically

PRODUCTION PROCESS Transesterification

Is the process of chemically reacting a fat or oil with an alcohol in a presence of a catalyst Alcohol used is usually methanol or ethanol Catalyst is usually sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide The main product of transesterification is biodiesel and the co-product is glycerine

Separation After transesterification, the biodiesel phase is separated from the glycerine phase, both undergoes purification. Advantages

It starts producing seeds within 12 months Maximum productivity level is 4-5 years Plant remains useful for around 35-50 years Seeds can produce around 37% oil content Kernels can produce up to 60% oil content Its seeds yield an annual equivalent of 0.75 to 2 tons of biodiesel per hectare It is a NON-FOOD CROP

Disadvantages

The Jatropha Curcas nut and oil are inedible, but its price is not distorted by competing food uses. Potential gender conflicts. Second income to make soap. If there is too little water, the plant will not produce the nut.

Jatropha needs at least 600mm (23in) of rain a year to thrive. However, it can survive three consecutive years of drought by dropping its leaves It is excellent at preventing soil erosion, and the leaves that it drops act as soilenriching mulch The plant prefers alkaline soils The cost of 1,000 jatropha saplings (enough for one acre) in Pakistan is about 50, or 5p each The cost of 1kg of jatropha seeds in India is the equivalent of about 7p. Eachjatropha seedling should be given an area two metres square. 20 per cent of seedlings planted will not survive Jatropha seedlings yield seeds in the first year after plantation

Jatropha for Biodiesel Figures Look at the financial costs of commercial Jatropha growing for Biodiesel Jatropha (1) is seen by many to be the perfect biodiesel (2) crop. It can be grown in very poor soils actually generating top soil as it goes, is drought and pest resilient, and it has seeds with up to 40% oil content. Here are some facts and figures about Jatropha relating to its growth as an oil product: - Jatropha grows well on low fertility soils however increased yields can be obtained using a fertilizer containing small amounts of magnesium, sulphur, and calcium.

- Jatropha can be intercropped with many cash crops such as coffee, sugar, fruits and vegetables with the Jatropha offering both fertilizer and protection against livestock. - Jatropha needs at least 600mm of rain annually to thrive however it can survive three years of drought by dropping its leaves. - Jatropha is excellent at preventing soil erosion, and the leaves it drops act as a wonderful soil enriching mulch. - Jatropha prefers alkaline soils.

- The cost of 1000 jatropha saplings (enough for one acre) in Pakistan is around 5000PKR (equiv to around 50 or just 5p each). - The cost of 1kg of jatropha seeds in India is 6 Rupees (equiv to around 0.07). - Each jatropha seedling should be given a 2m x 2m area to grow into. - 20% of seedlings planted will not survive. - Jatropha seedlings yield seeds in the first year after plantation.

- After the first five years, the typical annual yield of a jatropha tree is 3.5kg of beans. - Jatropha trees are productive for up to 30-40 years. - 2,200 trees can be planted per hectare (approx 1,000 per acre). - 1 hectare should yield around 7 tonnes of seeds per year. - The oil pressed from 4kg of seeds is needed to make 1 litre of biodiesel. - 91%+ of the oil can be extracted with cold pressing. - 1 hectare should yield around 2.2-2.7 tonnes of oil. - Press cake (seedcake) is left after the oil is pressed from the seeds. This can be composted and used as a high grade nitrogen rich organic fertilizer (green manure(3)). The remaining oil can be used to make skin friendly soap.

- One job is created for each 4 hectares of jatropha plantation. - The average Indian agricultural worker earns less than $40 per month. - Biodiesel costs around 16-20p per litre to grow and refine in India. - Glycerol, a biproduct of biodiesel refinement, can be sold in India for around 45-70p per kilogram. - One hectare of jatropha plantation yields 25,000 Rupees / year (around 300) in India. The following stats come from D1 Oils (4) - the UK's biggest biodiesel company: - Crushing 1 tonne of Jatropha seeds costs around $40 (23). - 1 tonne of seedcake (the leftovers after pressing) can be sold for $100 (55). - The transport costs of shipping 1 tonne of jatropha from India to Northern Europe is $100 (55). - The landed cost of 1 tonne of jatropha oil to Northern Europe is between $348 and $500 for oil contents of 29% to 40% (180 to 260).- Refining jatropha oil into biodiesel costs less than $125 (65) per tonne. - Filtered jatropha oil can be used as is in many diesel vehicles (as SVO) with only small modifications (5) required to the engine. - Jatropha oil can be used as a kerosene substitute for heating and lamps. - Jatropha oil burns with a clear smokeless flame. Buy Jatropha Curcas Seeds

If you are interested in trying to grow your own Jatropha plants, you'll need some seeds. These can most easily be purchased from countries such as Malaysia and Brazil viaeBay UK (6) (or eBay USA (7). Click here to search eBay UK now for Jatropha (8) (or here to search eBay USA for Jatropha (9)). At the time of writing 5000 high yield jatropha curcas seeds are available from Malaysia for around 80, and 1000 for from 16 to 21 from Malaysia and Brazil. Seeds are also available in much smaller quantities for just 2+. Web Link References (1) http://www.reuk.co.uk/What-is-Jatropha.htm (2) http://www.reuk.co.uk/Introduction-to-Biodiesel.htm (3) http://www.reuk.co.uk/Green-Manure.htm (4) http://www.reuk.co.uk/D1-Oils-PLC-Biodiesel.htm (5) http://www.reuk.co.uk/Vegetable-Oil-Two-Tank-Conversion.htm (6) http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?type=1&cam.... (7) http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=1&cam.... (8) http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?type=3&cam.... (9) http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&cam....

Jatropha holds the promise of becoming a sustainable feedstock for biodiesel, resulting in significant business opportunities. This comprehensive report will be an indispensable guide for you to understand this important industry and take the first steps in benefitting from the opportunities. Why Should You Know about Jatropha Biodiesel? You will be exploring an alternative to one of our most precious commodities: oil

 You will be learning more on a feedstock that has the potential to revolutionize the world of energy You will have an early mover advantage as the industry is just about to take off Jatropha, a second-generation biofuel feedstock, presents one of the most exciting possibilities as a future solution to our energy problems, especially that of transportation fuel. In the last few years, activity in this field has been accelerating fast. Why is Jatropha so exciting from a renewable energy standpoint? Unlike the first generation biodiesel and biofuel crops such as soy or corn, Jatropha is a non-food crop and can grow in non-agricultural and marginal lands not suitable for food crops. Jatropha can use wastewater for its growth. Fertilizer and pesticide requirements, and crop management costs, are relatively lower for Jatropha than for many other energy crops. Jatropha is a perennial; hence it needs to be planted just once and it yields oil for over 30 years. Projected Share of Jatropha Biodiesel in Total Biodiesel Production Year Total Projected Supply of Jatropha (MMT) Total Biodiesel Production (MMT) % of Biodiesel Supplied by Jatropha

200 9 201 0 201 2 201 5

0.5 2.1 6.5 15.5

16.9 20.2 29.2 50.3

3.0 10.4 22.3 30.8

The pay-offs are big, and so are the challenges. Companies those are able to make an early start in this field stand a chance of reaping significant benefits in future. While many around the world have heard about the Jatropha biodiesel possibilities and would like to know more, few resources are available that provide in-depth details of the Jatropha industry, its potential, the status of various companies in this industry, and what the future is likely to hold for this industry. Based on our interactions with hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors and businesses who have been exploring this domain last few years, we realized the need for a resource that provides structured data, insights and opinion that answers the key questions in their minds.

The following are the key questions those exploring Jatropha biodiesel are asking themselves. Should I explore Jatropha biodiesel as a business opportunity? Do I have the skills and resources required for an entrepreneur or business to benefit from this opportunity? Do I know enough about the main risks and bottlenecks present in this domain? Do I know enough about the future trends to evaluate this opportunity against other energy-related opportunities? What can I learn from the performance of existing companies in the Jatropha biofuels domain? An insightful Comprehensive Jatropha Report provides precise inputs for the following questions: What is the current and future potential for deriving biofuels from Jatropha? Is Jatropha the best choice for those investing in biofuels? What are the various fuel possibilities from Jatropha? What is the real-world status of Jatropha biodiesel efforts? Which are the prominent companies in this field and what are the efforts currently undertaken by them? What types of industries and companies will benefit most by investing in this field? What is the quantum of investment required in this field? What are the expected returns for those investing in Jatropha biodiesel? What is the key success factors required to succeed in this exciting business opportunity? What are the key trends and challenges in Jatropha crop cultivation? What is the scenario of the Jatropha industry in India & Africa? What types of venture capital investments and other financing are happening in this industry? What are the real bottlenecks / problems that could hamper the growth of this industry? What are predictions for the future with regard to challenges, possibilities and breakthroughs? What are the next steps an entrepreneur should take should she/he be interested in exploring further?