Thanks for updating on Jatropha .The info is very useful.
On Feb 20, 2:26 am, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> wrote: > Jatropha, a member of family, Euphorbiaceae [subfamily: Crotonideae; > tribe: Jatropheae] is a genus of around 75 species. The name is > derived from the Greek iatrós (doctor) and trophé (food), referring to > its nutritious qualities (when consumed in small amounts). > > In 2007 Goldman Sachs cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best > candidates for future biodiesel production. It is resistant to drought > and pests, and produces seeds containing 27-40% oil, averaging 34.4%. > The remaining press cake of jatropha seeds after oil extraction could > also be considered for energy production. However, despite their > abundance and use as oil and reclamation plants, none of the Jatropha > species have been properly domesticated and, as a result, their > productivity is variable, and the long-term impact of their > large-scale use on soil quality and the environment is unknown. > Igbinosa and colleagues (2009) demonstrated potential broad spectrum > antimicrobial activity of J. curcas. [source: Wikipedia] > > Much like other members of the family Euphorbiaceae, Jatropha plants > contain several toxic compounds, including lectin, saponin, > carcinogenic phorbol, and a trypsin inhibitor. The seeds of this genus > are also a source of the highly poisonous toxalbumin curcin. Despite > this, the seeds are occasionally eaten after roasting, which reduces > some of the toxicity. Its sap is a skin irritant, and ingesting as few > as three untreated seeds can be fatal to humans. [source: Wikipedia] > > -- > *********************************************** > "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" > > Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) > Research Associate > Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project > Department of Habitat Ecology > Wildlife Institute of India > Post Box # 18 > Dehradun - 248001, India
