Jatropha curcas, Barbados nut or Physic nut is a perennial poisonous shrub normally up to 5 m high belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. It is an uncultivated non-food wild-species.
The plant, originating in Central America, whereas it has been spread to other tropical and subtropical countries as well and is mainly grown in Asia and in Africa, where it is known as Pourghère. It is used as a living fence to protect gardens and fields from animals.
It is resistant to a high degree of aridity it can be planted even in the desert and as such does not compete with food crops.
The seeds contain 30% oil that can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel fuel, usable in a standard diesel engine.

Cultivation is uncomplicated. Jatropha curcas grows in tropical and subtropical regions. The plant can grow in wastelands and grows on almost any terrain, even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can thrive on the poorest stony soil and grow in the crevices of rocks. Complete germination is achieved within 9 days. Adding manure during the germination has negative effects during that phase, but is favorable if applied after germination is achieved. It is usually propagated by cuttings as this yields faster results than multiplication by seeds. The flowers only develop terminally (at the end of a stem), so a good ramification (plants presenting many branches) produces the greatest amount of fruits. Another productivity factor is the ratio between female and male flowers within an inflorescence (usually about 1 female to 10 male flowers - more female flowers mean more fruits . Jatropha curcas thrives on a mere 250 mm (10 in) of rain a year, and only during its first two years does it need to be watered in the closing days of the dry season. Ploughing and planting are not needed regularly, as this shrub has a life expectancy of approximately forty years. The use of pesticides and other polluting substances are not necessary, due to the pesticidal and fungicidal properties of the plant.


Ok, Now why we still using corn field to make ethanol fuel?

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