Biotechnological interventions for production and plantation of improved quality of Jatropha

1. Biotechnological interventions for production and plantation of improved quality of Jatropha

2. Environmental sustainability: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

3. One of the most pressing and complex challenges facing our generation is to develop a workable synergy between economic and environmental realities. PCRA Report

4. Energy Consumption • India – second largest commercial energy consumer in Non-OECD East Asia. • 19% of the region’s total primary energy consumption • Energy consumption in absolute terms increased 2.5 fold during last two decades. • Expected to triple upto 2020

5. Petroleum products: Some Statistics • Consumption in India increased from 4 MMT in 1950 to 130 MMT in 2001-02 • Expected demand for 2006-07 : 175 MMT • Present indigenous production about 50% of annual requirement • Current recoverable crude oil reserves : 739 MMT Source: PCRA Report

6. Source: PCRA Report

7. Biofuels: An Alternative • Efficient • Environment friendly • Cost Effective • 100% natural energy replacement for petroleum fuel • Liquid and Gaseous fuels • Bioethanol • Biodiesel

8. Biodiesel • An environmentally friendly replacement for petroleum based fuel • Production by transesterification of oil • Non-edible oils are a rich source and economically viable • Jatropha curcas identified as most potential source

9. Jatropha curcas Jatropha system promotes four main aspects of development, which combine to help assure a sustainable way of life for village farmers and the land that supports them: • Erosion control and soil improvement • Employment • Poverty reduction • Renewable energy

10. Reported yields from different trials are comparatively low • No systematic study conducted so far on screening and selection • Grows widely, however no selection based on yield and oil content • Multiplication through seed leads to variability • Yield is governed by a GxE interaction, agroclimatic based field trials essential

11. Improved Production and Productivity • Systematic selection of desirable superior genotypes- 30-40% oil; 3-5 tonnes/ha yield • Essential to screen Jatropha genotypes and associate molecular markers with oil content • Genetic diversity estimation using molecular tools • Micro and Macroprorogation for mass multiplication of desired genotype

12. Micromission on production and demonstration of quality planting material • Objectives: • Selection of superior material based on established criteria- Oil content 30-40%; yield 3-5 tonnes/ha. • Production of superior quality material – Micro and macropropagation • Nursery establishment at 10-12 centers • Standardizing agro technology packages • Demonstration in identified areas at 10-12 agroclimatic locations

13. Expected Outcome • Collection of superior material from different locations • Oil estimation and characterization • Germplasm collection • Nursery establishment • Demonstration of the quality material to evaluate the performance at different agroclimatic locations • Serve as superior stock material for other nurseries/centers for production of quality plants • Approximately 500ha to be covered, 10-12 nurseries

14. Status • Nearly 300 accessions collected from across the Country • Over 256 accessions characterized, 50% reported to have over 35% oil content • Approximately 7 lakhs plants produced. 300 ha. covered • Quality germplasm being maintained

15. Nursery establishment of quality material of Jatropha at Biotech Park, Lucknow

16. Nursery establishment of quality material of Jatropha at Biotech Park, Lucknow

17. Agencies / Institute Involved • National Oil Seeds and Vegetable Oil Board, Gurgaon • Jaipur University, Jaipur • National Botanical Research Institute/ Biotech Park Lucknow • Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai • H.N.B Garhwal University, Garhwal, Uttaranchal • M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai

18. Jai Narayan Vyas University, Jodhpur • Punjab Rao Deshmukh Krishi Vidhyapeeth (PDKV), Akola, Maharastra • Haryana Science and Technology Council, Haryana • National Chemical Laboratory, Pune • Kerala Agriculture University, Thrissur • West Bengal Council Of Science and Technology, Calcutta • The Energy Resources Institute, New Delhi

19. Future Strategy • Utilize 175 m ha of waste land • Organized Jatropha plantation • Only superior material to be multiplied • SHG, Cooperatives, Farmers network to be involved • Proper linkage to ensure end to end approach. • Seed collection to be linked with extraction, processing and refining units • Oil companies to be major players

20. To Conclude…. In the words of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan “In building a paradigm of sustainable development, it is necessary to link concepts and procedures at the macro level with field-level practices to arrive at a way of translating a conceptual response into a reality.”