,9745,.:7.

,8 ( Sanskrit : danti , pratyanshrani ) is a

species oI Ilowering plant in the spurge Iamily, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American
tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America.
|2|
It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical
regions around the world, becoming naturalized in some areas. The speciIic epithet, "curcas",
was Iirst used by Portuguese doctor Garcia de Orta more than 400 years ago and is oI uncertain
origin.
|3|
Common names include Barbados Nut, Purging Nut, Physic Nut, or 1CL
(abbreviation oI atropha curcas Linnaeus).
curcas is a poisonous, semi-evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching a height oI 6 m (20 It).
|2|
It
is resistant to a high degree oI aridity, allowing it to be grown in deserts.
|4||5|

The seeds contain 27-40 oil
|6|
(average: 34.4
|7|
) that can be processed to produce a high-
quality biodiesel Iuel, usable in a standard diesel engine. The seeds are also a source oI the
highly poisonous toxalbumin curcin.
|8|

Contents
|hide|
O Botanical Ieatures
O 2 Cultivation
O 3 Propagation
O 4 Gallery
O 5 Processing
O 6 Uses
4 6. Biodiesel
4 6.2 Other uses
O 7 Other names
O 8 Names in Indian languages
O See also
O 0 ReIerences
O Further reading
O 2 External links
edit] Botanical features
O Leaves: large green to pale-green leaves.
O Flowers: male and Iemale Ilowers are produced on the same inIlorescence, averaging 20
male Ilowers to each Iemale Ilower,
||
or 0 male Ilowers to each Iemale Ilower.
|0|

O Fruits : Iruits are produced in winter, or there may be several crops during the year iI soil
moisture is good and temperatures are suIIiciently high.
O Seeds: the seeds are mature when the capsule changes Irom green to yellow.
O Genome: the whole genome was sequenced by a:usa DNA Research Institute, Chiba
Japan in October 200.
||

edit] Cultivation


atropha curcas seeds
Cultivation is uncomplicated. atropha curcas grows in tropical and subtropical regions.
|2|
The
plant can grow in wastelands and grows on almost any terrain, even on gravelly, sandy and saline
soils. It can thrive in poor and stony soils, although new research suggests that the plant's ability
to adapt to these poor soils is not as extensive as had been previously stated. Complete
germination is achieved within days. Adding manure during the germination has negative
eIIects during that phase, but is Iavorable iI applied aIter germination is achieved. It can be
propagated by cuttings, which yields Iaster results than multiplication by seeds.
The Ilowers only develop terminally (at the end oI a stem), so a good ramiIication (plants
presenting many branches) produces the greatest amount oI Iruits. The plants are selI-
compatible.
||
Another productivity Iactor is the ratio between Iemale and male Ilowers within an
inIlorescence, more Iemale Ilowers mean more Iruits.
|0|
atropha curcas thrives on a mere
250 mm (0 in) oI rain a year, and only during its Iirst two years does it need to be watered in the
closing days oI the dry season. Ploughing and planting are not needed regularly, as this shrub has
a liIe expectancy oI approximately Iorty years. The use oI pesticides is not necessary, due to the
pesticidal and Iungicidal properties oI the plant. It is used in rural Bengal Ior dhobi itch (a
common Iungal inIection oI the skin).
While atropha curcas starts yielding Irom 2 months time, the best yields are obtained only
aIter 2 3 years time.
II planted in hedges, the reported productivity oI atropha is Irom 0.8 kg. to .0 kg. oI seed per
meter oI live Ience. The seed production is around 3.5 tons / hectare (Seed production ranges
Irom about 0.4 tons per hectare in Iirst year to over 5 tons per hectare aIter 3 years).
edit] Propagation
atropha curcas has limited natural vegetative propagation and is usually propagated by seed.
Propagation through seed (sexual propagation) leads to a lot oI genetic variability in terms oI
growth, biomass, seed yield and oil content. Low seed viability and the recalcitrant nature oI oil
seeds also limit seed propagation. However, clonal techniques can help in overcoming these
problems that hinder mass propagation oI this tree-borne oilseed species. Vegetative propagation
has been achieved by stem cuttings, graIting, budding as well as by air layering techniques.
|3|

The investigation leads to the recommendation that cuttings should be taken preIerably Irom
juvenile plants and treated with 200 micro gram per litre oI IBA (rooting hormone) to ensure the
highest level oI rooting in stem cuttings. These vegetative methods have potential Ior
commercial propagation oI these plants.
edit] Gallery
O
propagation oI atropha curcas by stem cutting
O
propagation oI atropha curcas by graIting
O
propagation oI atropha curcas by Air layering
edit] Processing
Seed extraction is made simple with the use oI the Universal Nut Sheller, an appropriate
technology designed by the Full Belly Project.
Oil content varies Irom 28 to 30 and 80 extraction, one hectare of plantation will give
400 to 600 litres of oil if the soil is average.
4]

The oily seeds are processed into oil, which may be used directly ("Straight Vegetable Oil") to
Iuel combustion engines or may be subjected to transesteriIication to produce biodiesel. Jatropha
oil is not suitable Ior human consumption, as it induces strong vomiting and diarrhea.
A colourant can also be derived Irom the seed
|citation needed|
.
edit] Uses
edit] Biodiesel
Main article: Jatropha oil
edit] Other uses
(The inIormation in this section is largely inspired Irom the Purdue University - Center Ior New
Crops and Plants Products website.
|5|
)
O Leaves
The young leaves may be saIely eaten, steamed or stewed. Cooked with goat meat, they
are said to advantageously counteract its smell.
Pounded leaves are applied near horses' eyes to repel Ilies in India. HCN (Hydrogen
cyanide) is present in the leaves.The extracts oI the plants are dangerous to use but water
can easily release it over iI not too much extract is applied.
O lowers
The species is listed as a honey plant. HCN is present.
|6|

O Nuts
Sometimes roasted and eaten, although they are purgative.
They can be burned like candlenuts when strung on grass. HCN is present.
|7|

Used as a contraceptive in South Sudan.
|8|

O $eeds
Also used as a contraceptive in South Sudan.
|8|

The oil has been used Ior illumination, soap, candles, the adulteration oI olive oil, and
making Turkey red oil. Turkey red oil, also called sulphonated (or sulIated) castor oil, is
the only oil that completely disperses in water. It is made by adding sulIuric acid to pure
atropha oil.
||
It was the Iirst synthetic detergent aIter ordinary Soap, as this allows easy
use Ior making bath oil products. It is used in Iormulating lubricants, soIteners, and
dyeing assistants.
|20|

The seeds in the zone around Misantla, Veracruz are very appreciated by the population
as Iood once they have been boiled and roasted. It is unclear iI this is due to the existence
oI a non-toxic variety oI Jatropha in Mexico and Central America, or iI the seeds become
edible once processed by cooking.
|2|

It is also similarly reported that Jatropha seeds are edible once the embryo has been
removed.
|22|
Again it may be so because oI these seeds coming Irom a local non-toxic
variety. HCN is present.
O #oots
Their ashes are used as a salt substitute. HCN and Rotenone are present.
|23|

O Bark
Used as a Iish poison. HCN is present.
|24|

O Latex
Strongly inhibits the watermelon mosaic virus.
|25|

O $ap
It stains linen. Sometimes used Ior marking.
|26|

O $hrub
Mexicans grow the shrub as a host Ior the lac insect, which is used in medicine as
hepatoprotective and antiobesity drug. (Picture oI lac insect here |4|; drawing oI insect,
its larva and a colony here |5|)
Used Ior erosion control,
|27||28|

edit] Other names
O ocha in Western Bangladesh
O Pinho manso in Brazil
O adam or $aruwa in Nepal
O %empate in Nicaragua
O kasla, tubatuba or tubang bakod in Philippines
O bono in Tanzania
O Pourghre in Francophone AIrica
O Lahong wang in Cambodia
O Cay Dau Lai in Viet Nam
O Dang iu ciu in Taiwan
O Lapalapa in Nigeria
O uhlafutho in Zimbabwe (isiNdebele)
O amanaku in India (Tamil Nadu)
O ak Nyao in Laos
O Pin blanco in Peru
O 1arak Pagar in Malaysia, Indonesia
O yderke in Ethiopia
edit] Names in Indian languages
O Bengali: danti, dantigaacha, kochagach
O Hindi: danti
O annada: damti, kaadu haralu, naagadamti
O onkani: baktumbo Malayalam: ceriyadanthi,
naagadanthi
O Marathi: danti, katari
O Nepalese: ajaya pal, dudhe jhaar
O Oriya:
O Persian: bedanjire khatai
O Sanskrit: anukula, danti, dantika, dirgha,
erandhapatrika, erandhaphala,
makulakah, nagadanti, nagavinna,
nikumbha, pratyaksreni, rechani,
ruksha, shigra, vishalya, udumbaraparni
O Tamil: pey-amanakku
O Telugu: adavi amudamu, kond amudamu,
nela jidi, nepalamu
O Gujarati : RatanJyot
edit] $ee also
O Jatropha
O Energy crop
O Non Iood crop
In Pakistani sublanguage Siraiki it is called Hurnuli
edit] #eferences
. ) "atropha curcas L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United
States Department oI Agriculture. 2008-08-2. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-
bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?2062. Retrieved 200-0-4.
2. )
,

-
Janick, Jules; Robert E. Paull (2008). %he Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts.
CABI. pp. 37372. ISBN 780856387.
http://books.google.com/books?idcjHCoMQNkcgC.
3. ) "1atropha curcas L. Euphorbiaceae" (PDF). Agroforestree Database 4.
World AgroIorestry Centre. 200.
http://www.worldagroIorestry.org/aI/treedb/AFTPDFS/Jatrophacurcas.pdI. Retrieved
200-0-4.
4. ) JATROPHA IN AFRICA. FIGHTING THE DESERT & CREATING
WEALTH
5. ) Jatropha: creating desert solutions
6. ) Achten WMJ, Mathijs E, Verchot L, Singh VP, Aerts R, Muys B 2007. Jatropha
biodiesel Iueling sustainability?. BioIuels, Bioproducts and BioreIining (4), 283-
2.DOI: 0.002/bbb.3The Jatropha Archives
7. ) Achten WMJ, Verchot L, Franken YJ, Mathijs E, Singh VP, Aerts R, Muys B
2008. Jatropha bio-diesel production and use. (a literature review) Biomass and
Bioenergy 32(2), 063-084.DOI: 0.06/j.biombioe.2008.03.003The Jatropha
Archives
8. ) http://www.drugsandpoisons.com/2008/0/lectins-peas-and-beans-gone-
bad.html
. )
,

-
A.C.P. Juhasz, S. Pimenta, B.O. Soares, Batista Morais de Lourdes, D.,
Rabello, H. de Oliveira 200. Floral biology and artiIicial polinization in physic nut in
the north oI Minas Gerais state, Brazil |Biologia Iloral e polinizao artiIicial de pinho-
manso no norte de Minas Gerais| !esquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 44(): 073077
(in Portuguese).
0. )
,

-
"Generative propagation oI atropha curcas L. on alahari Sand." in The
Jatropha Journal.
. ) "Sequence Analysis oI the Genome oI an Oil-Bearing Tree, Jatropha curcas L".
OxIord Journals, DNA Research, azusa DNA Research Institute. 200-2-08.
http://dnaresearch.oxIordjournals.org/content/early/200/2/08/dnares.dsq030.Iull.
Retrieved 200-2-23.
2. ) http://www.agricultureinIormation.com/Iorums/sale/66-jatropha-curcas-
seeds-seedlings-sale.html Warm climate reIerence
3. ) Gadekar umarsukhadeo Prakash. (2006) Department oI Forestry, Indira
Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur (C.G.)M.Sc. Forestry Thesis "Vegetative
propagation oI Jatropha, aranj and Mahua by Stem cuttings, GraIting, Budding and Air
layering"
4. ) The Cultivation oI Jatropha Curcas
5. ) Purdue University-Center Ior New Crops and Plants Products
6. ) Little, Woodbury, and Wadsworth, 74. In The Jatropha Website
7. ) Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 62. In The Jatropha Website
8. )
,

-
List and Horhammer, 67. In The Jatropha Website
. ) Turkey Red Oil - A deIoaming & wetting agent, manure, lubricant
20. ) CastorOil.in Home oI Castor Oil Online
2. ) Birgit Schmook (cited by Henning), in 'Assessment oI the potential oI atropha
curcas, (biodiesel tree) Ior energy production and other uses in developing countries.
Mike Benge (bengemike at aol dot com), Senior AgroIorestry OIIicer, USAID (Ret.) July
2006 and updated August 2006 ||
22. ) Levingston and Zamora (cited by IPGRI), in 'Assessment oI the potential oI
Jatropha curcas, (biodiesel tree) Ior energy production and other uses in developing
countries. Mike Benge (bengemike at aol dot com), Senior AgroIorestry OIIicer, USAID
(Ret.), July 2006 and updated August 2006. |2|
23. ) Morton, 8.
24. ) Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 62. In The Jatropha Website
25. ) Tewari and Shukla, 82. In The Jatropha Website
26. ) Mitchell and Rook, 7. In The Jatropha Website
27. ) (bioIuel) Jatropha book - New IPGRI Series Promotes Underutilized Crops.
28. ) 'atropha curcas L. in AIrica - Assessment oI the impact oI the dissemination
oI 'the atropha System on the ecology oI the rural area and the social and economic
situation oI the rural population (target group) in selected countries in AIrica |3|.
Annexe 7 oI this paper presents an 'Economic analysis oI JCL utilization in Tanzania -
Economy oI Jatropha Utilization in Tanzania. Data Irom akute, 2003, covering small-
scale economic data on the collection oI seeds, oil making and soap making.
edit] urther reading
O Brittaine, R. and Lutaladio, N. 200. Jatropha: A Smallholder Bioenergy Crop - %he
!otential for !ro-!oor Development Integrated Crop Management. Vol. 8. FAO, Rome,
ISBN 78-2-5-06438-2.
edit] External links

Wikispecies has inIormation related to: ,9745,.:7.,8

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: ,9745,.:7.,8
O Polgreen, Lydia (September , 2007). "Mali`s Farmers Discover a Weed`s Potential
Power". New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/0/0/world/aIrica/0bioIuel.html?r&oreIslogin.
Retrieved 2007-0-0.
O Integrated Taxonomic InIormation System (ITIS) Jatropha Curcas
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