Jatropha Products & Benefits
Fuel Oil for Lighting/Cooking and Diesel:
Jatropha oil is an environmentally safe, cost-effective renewable source of non-conventional energy and a promising substitute for diesel, kerosene and other fuels. Jatropha seed oil was used in engines in Indonesia by the Japanese during World War II. These are the uses where interest is highest and most research is being conducted. The whole oil can be used in certain types of diesel engine, but more commonly biodiesel refers to oil which has been trans-esterified to produce methyl ester (biodiesel) and glycerin. (The process involves combining an alcohol such as methanol with sodium or potassium hydroxide.)
Seed-cake:
Seed-cake or press-cake is a by-product of oil extraction. Jatropha seed-cake contains curcin, a highly toxic protein similar to ricin in Castor, making it unsuitable for animal feed. However, it does have potential as a fertilizer, discussed in the next section below on markets. It can also fuel a steam turbine to generate electricity.
Tannin or Dyestuff:
Leaf juice stains red and marks linen an indelible black. The 37% tannin found in bark is said to yield a dark blue dye; latex also contains 10% tannin and can be used as marking ink. Ashes from the roots and branches are used in the dyeing industry, and pounded seeds in tanning in Ghana.
Lipids:
The seeds yield approximately 31-37% of valuable oil. It is used to prepare varnish after calcination with iron oxides. Hardened Jatropha oil could be a satisfactory substitute for tallow or hardened rice bran oil. In Europe it is used in wool spinning and textile manufacture. Along with burnt plantain ashes, oil is used in making hard homemade soap.
Wax:
The bark contains a wax composed of a mixture of ‘melissyl alcohol’ and its melissimic acid ester.
Skin Care and Cosmetics:
The seed oil can be applied to treat eczema and skin diseases and to soothe rheumatic pain (Heller 1996). The 36% linoleic acid (C18:2) content in Jatropha kernel oil is of possible interest for skincare.
Soil Improver:
Press cake cannot be used in animal feed because of its toxic properties, but it is valuable as organic manure due to a nitrogen content similar to that of seed cake from castor bean and chicken manure. The nitrogen content ranges from 3.2 to 3.8%, depending on the source. Tender branches and leaves are used as a green manure for coconut trees. All plant parts can be used as a green manure.
Erosion Control:
Jatropha has been used in many locations in erosion control.
Pesticide:
The oil and aqueous extract from oil has potential as an insecticide. For instance it has been used in the control of insect pests of cotton including cotton bollworm (Solosoy, undated) and on pests of pulses, potato and corn. Methanol extracts of Jatropha seed (which contains biodegradable toxins) are being tested in Germany for control of bilharzia-carrying water snails. The pesticidal action of the seed oil is also the subject of research of ICRISAT, India (Jones and Harris 1995).
Soap:
The glycerin that is a by-product of biodiesel can be used to make soap, and soap can be produced from Jatropha oil itself. In either case the process produces a soft, durable soap and is a simple one, well adapted to household or small-scale industrial activity.
Other Uses:
Soften leathers, lubricate machinery (e.g. chain saws)
Potential Conservation Benefits
The primary conservation benefits to be derived from production of Jatropha relate to improved soil management. In Africa the tree’s most widespread use at present is as a live fence. In addition to protecting crops from livestock, this use reduces wind erosion and pressure on timber resources and increases moisture retention. The qualities that make Jatropha especially desirable as a live fence include:
- Rapid growth rates from both seed and truncheons.
- Low maintenance and drought resistance.
- Relatively low rates of natural spread (i.e., it tends to grow where it has been planted, without colonizing neighboring land).
- Unpalatability to livestock, making it a particularly effective barrier between livestock and either crop fields or homesteads.
Jatropha’s drought tolerance makes it a suitable species for reclamation of eroded and degraded areas. Moreover, although higher rainfall and fertilizer inputs can substantially increase its yields; it is an attractive species for resource-poor farmers since it will survive in drought and with little or no fertilizer input.
|
