Review Article
Madhavi Z Martin, Lee E Gunter
Abstract
There is widespread interest in Jatropha curcas L. as a renewable source of biodiesel and a potential replacement for petroleum-based transportation fuels. As an oil-bearing feedstock it displays rapid growth and high seed yield across soils of varying fertility. Unfortunately, despite current optimism there exists little information on the agronomic management of this genus as a feedstock for biodiesel. Therefore, this article reviews research on Jatropha as a biofuels feedstock and explores the fast adaptation of Jatropha across India through a “lab-to-market” approach. An integrated approach to understanding the long-term viability of using Jatropha as a bioenergy crop is assessed. A variety of issues are discussed to understand and survey research that has been done on Jatropha and its applications in developing countries where it is being implemented. These issues include understanding the fundamentals of the biology, ecology, propagation, and cultivation of Jatropha, especially focusing on the thrust in developing countries to use wastelands and reclaimed lands for growing Jatropha as a bioenergy crop. This article also provides a status report with regard to germplasm collections and genomic resources for future accelerated crop improvement. A viable argument is made in favor of developing pilot energy farm enterprise clusters, which seems to be the best option for small farms in developing parts of the world. This thematic approach is discussed in detail under a “sun-to-satellite” regional model in which farmers can be engaged as stakeholders and participate in the decision making process. The potential impact of fossil-fuel replacement by Jatropha on climate change is also discussed.