Tips for Cultivation of Jatropha Curcas

Shri A.Syiem
Joint Director of Soil and Water Conservation
(Headquarter), Shillong

Jatropha Curcas belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a small tree or shrub which grows between 3 to 5 metres in height. Fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless. Each inflorescence yield a bunch of approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. The seeds become mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow, after two to four months from fertilization. The blackish, thin shelled seeds are oblong and resemble castor seeds.

ECOLOGICAL REQUIREMENT:

• Grows on any type of soils.
• Requires hot climate but can withstand light frost. The mean annual temperature ranges from 20-28oC.Mean annual rainfall 300-2000mm or more.
• Easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and is hardy.
• Not browsed by animals.
• Being rich in nitrogen, the seed cake is an excellent source of organic manure.
• Gestation period within two years.
• It can be established from seed, seedlings and vegetative from cuttings.
• The plant is undemanding in soil type and does not require tillage. It grows well 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.
• The life span of the Jatropha plant is about 50 years.

NURSERY REQUIREMENTS:

• 1 Kg seeds will contain 1000-1200 nos. seeds.
• Before sowing seeds in the nursery, seed samples are required to be tested for oil content percentage. The oil content should be about 35 percent.
• Good matured seeds free from diseases and other impurities should be selected for sowing.
• The seeds should not be older than 3 months storage after harvesting for better germination percentage.
• 2-3 seeds should be sown in each polybag. After germination, only one healthy seedling should be kept in each polybag and the remaining seedlings are to be up- rooted and transplanted in vacant polybags.
• 5 Kg seeds will be required for 1 hectare plantation. (2500 nos plants/hectare).
• Seeds start sprouting from third day onwards and complete sprouting in 10 days.
• The seedlings are ready for transplanting to the field within 3 months.
• The cost of seed per Kg varies from Rs. 25 to Rs. 45/-

FIELD REQUIREMENTS:

• SPACING: 2 metres x 2 metres
• NUMBER OF PLANTS PER HECTARE: 2500 Nos.
• TIME OF PLANTING: JUNE/JULY. Irrigation will be required if transplanting is done after the monsoon season.
• WEEDING: Two weedings in a year.
• PRUNING AND TRAINING: First pruning is done when the plant attains 1 metre height. The plant is detopped at 40-60 cm, subsequent pruning and training is done to ensure the proper shape and size.
• HARVESTING: Harvesting of the fruits from the third year on wards. Harvesting is done by hand plucking. The harvested fruits should be sundried for 6-8 hours for easy removal of the seeds. Seeds should be decorticated soon after drying. One person could collect and decorticate 25-30 Kg seed per day.
• YIELD: The average yield under rainfed condition is expected as under: -

The oil content in the seed and Kernel ranges from 20-40% and 46-58% respectively. In India flowering took place between September to December and March to April,

• CULTIVATION COST: The cost of cultivation per hectare for two years is Rs. 25000/-

MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

• To provide cheap and locally available energy.
• To provide green coverage to wastelands and other lands.
• To conserve eco-friendly system.
• To provide rural employment opportunities throughout the year for small and marginal farmers.
• To raise economic status of small/marginal farmers by providing remuneration prices for their produces/collection.

EXPECTED OUTCOME:

• Will help to provide cheap, locally available energy to catalyze the all round socio-economic development process.
• Propose strategy for promoting the renewable sources of energy based on the management of wasteland would provide green coverage and could lead to both energy and food sufficiency.
• Plantation will provide energy and economic return by non consumptive use without requiring actual cutting or harvesting of the main plant. Jatropha plantation can therefore provide permanent cover to the soil.
• Provide gainful self employment on sustainable basis by way of seed collection, oil extraction etc. It has been estimated in the first year of creation, self-employment to the tune of 140 mandays can be generated from 1 hectare Jatropha plantation.
• The cost for raising 1 hectare Jatropha Plantation up to the 10th year has been estimated at Rs. 60,000/-. The total yield up to the 10th year is expected at 26250 Kgs and the income generated from the sale of the seeds at Rs. 5/- per Kg. will be Rs. 1,31,250/-. The average income from 1 hectare plantation per year is expected at Rs. 13,000/- (approx).

USES:

• The oil is used as lubricants, soap and candle manufacturing. It has also been reported as hair growth stimulant and thus can be used as hair oil. In animals/ livestock, its application is useful against sores.
• As a manure it is useful and contains 3.2 % Nitrogen, 1.4% phosphorus and 1.2% potash.
• Plant is useful for large scale plantations in wastelands as oil yield from established plantations can yield around 1.5 to 2.3 tons per hectare.