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http://www.echonet.org/ ECHO Development Notes ISSUE 60, MAY 1998 Edited By Martin L. Price 17391 Durrance Road, North Fort Myers, FL 33917-2239 Phone: (941) 543-3246, Fax: (941) 543-5317 USA E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web site: http://www.echonet.org New IPGRI Series Promotes Underutilized Crops. The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) has published a series of books titled "Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops." Each title covers a different crop species. The purpose is "to draw attention to species which have been neglected in a varying degree by researchers and/or underutilized economically." As ECHO is very interested in underexploited crops, we wrote to IPGRI and obtained copies of each title in the series. IPGRI is a research center dedicated to identifying and collecting plant germplasm, conserving it, and disseminating it to researchers developing or promoting new crops. Each book focuses on taxonomy, origins of species, related species, and reproduction biology. Ecology, propagation methods, cultivation, and germplasm conservation are also covered. Because of the heavy focus on germplasm topics, the series will not be of interest to everyone in our network. Those trying to identify local minor crops and possibly useful wild relatives or who have worked to introduce a specific crop will find this series helpful. For example, Nancy Harper in Belize wrote to ECHO regarding the physic nut, Jatropha curcas. The physic nut is a shrub widely found in the tropics. (It is used as a living fence and as a medicinal, grows in arid regions, and produces a nut which when pressed yields an oil that can be used in making soap and has been used as a diesel substitute in small engines with some success in trials. Young leaves of the plant may be cooked and eaten. All parts of the plant have been used medicinally.) Most Jatropha curcas plants produce toxic nuts. In Mexico and Central America there are types of physic nut that are safe to eat when roasted. Nancy wanted to know if these edible types were a different species of Jatropha and if they should therefore propagate them by cuttings or by seed. Using the IPGRI book on Jatropha curcas, we learned that the edible type is probably the same species as the toxic type, and that because it is pollinated by insects, the edible and toxic types may be able to cross pollinate if grown in the same area. We encouraged her to talk with local farmers, as the book seemed to indicate that in her region the predominant Jatropha may be the non-toxic type, making propagation by seed safe. The series book on black nightshades, Solanum nigrum and related species, is useful for identifying local Solanum species used as potherbs and "huckleberries," as ten species or sub-species are described in detail with diagrams, local names, and an identification key. Some botanical education would be helpful in using the key. (The genus Solanum includes tomato, pepper, potato and eggplant. It also contains many wild relatives, some of which have food potential and some are poisonous.) These are the titles in print as of this time: Physic nut Jatropha curcas L., Yam bean Pachyrhizus DC., Coriander Coriandrum sativum L., Hulled wheats: Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Hulled Wheats Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass., Pili nut Canarium ovatum Engl., Safflower Carthamus tinctorius L., Chayote Sechium edule (Jacq.) SW., Bambara groundnut Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc., Breadfruit Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg, Cat's whiskers Cleome gynandra L., Tef Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, Sago Palm Metroxylon sagu Rottb., Oregano S., Black nightshades Solanum nigrum L. and related species, Carob tree Ceratonia siliqua L. IPGRI advertises that their publications are free of charge to "institutions and libraries." We corresponded with their publications department for clarification. Paul Stapleton, Head of the Editorial and Publications Unit, replied "IPGRI publications are distributed free of charge, so we aim to place them in libraries and institutions so that their potential readership is maximized. We do not want them to be read by one person, then filed on a bookshelf and forgotten." However, "if the organization is going to use the information to benefit workers in the area, they can have as many copies of our material as needed. IPGRI is eager to disseminate its information where it can do the most good, and that is why we maintain our free distribution policy. Some workers can easily show that they have a need for a personal copy, such as laboratory researchers, university professors, extension agents, etc., and we gladly supply those." If your organization is able to make use of one of the titles listed above or would like to know of IPGRI's many other titles related to germplasm conservation and breeding, write to: Paul Stapleton; Head Editorial and Publications Unit; Documentation, Information and Training Group; International Plant Genetic Resources Institute; Via delle Sette Chiese 142, 00145 Rome, Italy; phone 33-6-51892233, e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], fax 33-6-5750309; home page http://www.cgiar.org/ipgri http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pubfile+.asp?ID_PUB=161 IPGRI Publication : Physic nut Jatropha curcas L. Physic nut Jatropha curcas L. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops. 1. This tropical crop is native to Mexico and Central America, but is cultivated in many other Latin American, Asian and African countries as a hedge. It has become of interest to various development agencies because it adapts well to semiarid marginal sites, its oil can be processed for use as a diesel fuel and it can be used for erosion control. This monograph has chapters covering the following aspects of J. curcas: names of the species and taxonomy; botanical description; origin and centre of diversity; properties (toxicology); uses (whole plant and food/fodder, medicine, plant protectant and molluscicide, technical uses, diesel fuel and other uses); genetic resources (existing genetic variation, conservation); breeding (objectives, method and selection based on provenance trials); production areas; ecology; agronomy (growth and development, propagation methods and pests and diseases); limitations of the crop; prospects; and research needs. There are appendices listing (I) research contacts, centres of crop research, breeding and plant genetic resources of physic nut and (II) publications of Proyecto Biomasa, DINOT/UNI, Nicaragua. © CAB ABSTRACTS, CAB International Authors: Joachim Heller Year: 1996 Pages: 66 Format: 17x24 Softcover ISBN: 92-9043-278-0 Language: Price: US$ 8 PDF free file available - 767Kb http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pubsurvey.asp?id_publication=161 http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/161.pdf ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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