1. Wagner Vendrame, Ph.D. Associate Professor Tropical Research and Education Center IFAS – UF Homestead, FL

2. What is Jatropha? • Family Euphorbiaceae • Genus Jatropha: 170 species • Jatropha curcas L. • Physic Nut, Barbados Nut, Purging Nut, Curcas Bean • Small tree or large shrub, 12-15ft tall • Perennial

3. Diversity in the genus Jatropha

4. B C A D E Diversity in the genus Jatropha; botanical illustration of Jatropha curcas (A); J. grossidentata (B), J. excisa (C), J. clavuligera (D), and J. weddeliana. Photos and illustration by B. Dehgan.

5. a. flowering branch b. bark c. leaf venation d. pistillate flower e. staminate flower f. cross-section of immature fruit g. fruits h. longitudinal section of fruits i. seed (a - c and f- i from Aponte 1978; d and e from Dehgan 1984) (reprinted with Permission, Heller 1996)

6. a. female flowersb. apical budsc. petals, sepals, diadelphous stamend. anthers e. ovary and nectar glands f. electron microscope vision of triple seed setting in the fruit (Source: Prakash et al., 2007)

7. Jatropha curcas plantation in Mexico

8. Where can it be grown in FL? • Cultivated in the tropics as living fence • Zones 9-11 • Full sun • Drought tolerant • Marginal soils • Susceptible to severe frosts

9. J. curcas belt oil palm belt J. curcas belt Global indication of the most suitable climates for J. curcas (30° N; 35° S) Claims and Facts on Jatropha curcas (Jongschaap et al., 2007)

10. Renewable Energy Jatropha Crop Use in Vehicles Biofuel Production Bioenergy Potential

11. Jatropha curcas Fruits Whole Plant Leaves Bark Erosion control Hedge plant Shelter plant for other crops Organic fertilizer Rodent repellent Medicinal uses Fuel Mulch Biogas Medicinal uses Seeds Husks Shells Kernels Kernels Monoalkylesters Biodiesel + Glycerin Oil (Biolipid) Triglycerides Seed Cake or Expeller Cosmetics Soap production Medicinal uses Biopesticides Animal feed Organic fertilizer Rodent repellent BIODIESEL Uses for Jatropha curcas (modified from Heller 1996).

12. B A A. Bielenberg ram press for oil extraction from J. curcas seeds B. Soap production from J. curcas oil C. Perkins engine with generator converted to run on Jatropha oil C Photos courtesy of R. K. Henning

13. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hype • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

15. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

17. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

18. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

19. Marginal soils and waste lands • Semi-arid and arid conditions • Marginal soil reclamation • Nutrient recycling • Reduction of erosion and desertification • Increase soil structure • Tropical humid areas

21. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

23. Low nutrient requirements • Low soil fertility limits growth and production • Fertilization improves yield: • Plant height • Leaf area index • Total aboveground dry matter • Seed yield • Oil yield • Crop density - competition

26. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

27. Low water requirement • Little known on water use and water use efficiency (as a crop) • Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) vs. Actual Evapotranspiration (AET) • Plant transpiration and soil evaporation • Soil properties: depth, WHC, organic matter content • Root system

30. Jatropha’s Potential – The Hope • Non-food alternative energy crop • Perennial crop • Marginal soils and waste lands • Little or no input - low nutrient requirements • Drought resistance – low water use • High oil yields • High oil content in seeds • High quality oil

35. Dry matterof J. curcas Claims and Facts on Jatropha curcas (Jongschaap et al., 2007)

36. Energy content in J. curcas Claims and Facts on Jatropha curcas (Jongschaap et al., 2007)

37. High Oil Yields • Seed: • Hull (shell): 35% F.W. • Kernel: 65% F.W. • Kernel (99% of oil): • 58% oil • 42% meal (20-25% protein) • Total oil from seed: 37.7%

38. High Oil Quality • Good quality for burning, cooking, lighting, biodiesel • > viscosity than diesel (53 vs. 8 cSt, 30 °C) • Cetane number: 23-41 • cottonseed (35-40); rapeseed (30-36); groundnut (30-41); sunflower (29-37) • Toxicity: phorbol esters and curcins • Suitable for transesterification • No sulphur dioxide (SO2)

39. Challenges • Performance in Florida • Pests, diseases • Yields • Range for commercial growth • Increased yield practices • Harvesting • Economic assessment RESEARCH!!!

40. Biofuels

41. Acknowledgements • CALS – UF • FDACS • Vecenergy-BIDA, the Energy Division of the Vecellio Group