Basing the propagation method on rainfall
conditions plays a decisive role in the survival and properties
of the plant in field.
- Method of cultivation should be chosen on the basis of
- Maximum survival rates
Intended utilization of the plantation
-
For quick establishment of hedges and plantation for erosion
control, directly planted cuttings are best.
-
For long-lived plantations for vegetative oil production, plants
propagated by seeds are better.
-
With better rainfall conditions, the plantations could also
be established by direct seeding.
Direct seeding, precultivation of seedlings, easily propagates
the Jatropha transplanting of spontaneous wild plants and direct
planting of cuttings. Seed should be collected when capsules split
open. Use of fresh seeds improves germination. Intervals of presoaking
and drying, or partial removal of the testa, are more successful
than presoaking alone. With good moisture conditions, germination
takes 10 days. The seed shell splits, the radicula emerges and
4 small peripheral roots are formed. Soon after development of
the 1st leaves, the cotyledons wither and fall off. Further growth
is sympodial
Climate
Can withstand severe heat. Likes heating and doing well in warmer
areas. When cold will drop its leaves. It can withstand light frost
but not for prolonged periods. The older the tree the better it
will withstand. Black frost will almost certainly kill young plants
and severely damage older plants
Quality of the soil
Best in sandy well-drained soils. Can withstand very poor soils
and grow in saline conditions All the actors in the Jatropha sector
suggest, anyway, using organic fertilizer in order to obtain higher
yield.
Irrigation
It handles dryness very well and it is possible to live almost
entirely of humidity in the air. - See Cape Verde where rainfall
is as low as 250 mm a year. Differences are expressed in what is
optimum rainfall as some readings say 600 mm and some say 800 mm
whilst some areas in India report good crops with rainfall of 1380
mm. Under irrigation 1 500 mm is given.
500 - 600 mm of rainfall is the limit. Below it the production
depends on the local water condition in the ground
It will also stand for long periods without
water - up to 2 years – and
then grow again when rains occur again.
Weeding
Standard cultural practices are timely weeding (4 times a year),
proper fertilization, surface ploughing and pruning. With these
management practices a yield around 15-20 kg of fruit per tree
can be obtained even if the plants did not reach full maturity.
Use of fertilizer
Although Jatropha is adapted to low fertility
sites and alkaline soils, better yields seem to be obtained on
poor quality soils
if fertilizers containing small amounts of calcium, magnesium,
and Sulfur are used. Mycorrhizal associations have been observed
with Jatropha and are known to aid the plant’s growth under conditions
where phosphate is limiting It is recommended that 1 kg of farmyard
manure/ plus 100 g of Neem waste for every seedling, with a recommendation
of 2500 plants per ha this comes up to 2.5 t organic fertilizer
per ha.Besides it after transplantation and the establishment of
the plant fertilizer such as N, P and K should be applied. Twenty
gram urea + 120 g SSP and 16 g MoP should be applied annually
The possibility to return the press-cake (or part of it) to Jatropha
fields should be carefully considered.
Crop density
References recommend spacing for hedgerows or soil conservation
is 15cm - 25cm x 15cm-25cm in one or two rows respectively and
2m x 1.5m to 3m x 3mm for plantations. Thus there will be between
4,000 to 6,700 plants per km for a single hedgerow and double that
when two rows are planted.
Satisfactory planting widths are 2 x 2 m, 2.5 x 2.5 m, and 3 x
3 m. This is equivalent to crop densities of 2500, 1600 and 1111
plants/ha, respectively. Distance OF 2MX2M BE KEPT FOR COMMERCIAL
CULTIVATION
Wider spacing is reported to give larger yields of fruit.
Genotype
Little genetic research seems to be performed, as Information
related to the project seems to be rather restricted.
Pruning
Pruning – 1st prune
The plants need to produce side shoots for maximum sprouting and
maximum flowers and seed. Between 90 and 120 Days top of all
plants at 25 Cm. Cut the top off cleanly and cut top to produce
8 – 12 side branches.
It is considered good practice. In order to facilitate the harvesting,
it is suggested to keep the tree less than 2 meters.
Inter-cropping
Specific intolerance with other crops was not detected. On the
contrary the shade can be exploited by shade-loving herbal plants;
vegetables such red and green peppers, tomatoes, etc. (SEE INTERCROPPING
PAGE)
Picking
We have developed the harvest methodology between wet and dry
seed crush costing applicable has been compared.
CROP YIELD
It appears very difficult to estimate unequivocally the yield
of a plant that is able to grow in very different conditions.
Yield is a function of water, nutrients, heat and the age of the
plant and other. Many different methods of establishment, farming
and harvesting are possible. Yield can be enhanced with right balance
of cost, yield, labor and finally cost per Mt
Seed production ranges from
about 2 tons per hectare per year to over 12.5t/ha/year, after
five years
of growth. Although not clearly specified, this
range in production may be attributable to low and high rainfall
areas. |
