Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.)

Abstract

The claim of jatropha (Jatropha curcas) being a wonder plant is based on its perceived ability to grow successfully in semiarid environmental conditions and on degraded soils. This chapter describes the (i) plant root traits and their significance for drought tolerance; (ii) jatropha plantations' impact on hydrological processes (water balance, sediment transport and soil loss) and soil and environmental quality (carbon and nutrient sequestration and soil biology in the plant rhizosphere); (iii) cultivation including vegetative propagation, application of fertilizers and growth regulators, pruning, insect pests and diseases, intercropping, and seed yield; and (iv) genetic improvement involving assessment of variability in jatropha accessions using molecular markers. The factors controlling upscaling of jatropha cultivation are also discussed.