Results of a seed source evaluation trial of Jatropha curcas Linn. laid out in 1996 at Jabalpur (M.P), a semi arid region of India are reported and discussed. Seeds collected from ten sources from central India representing the states Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra viz. Gondia, Bichia, Balaghat, Niwas, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Nasik, Chindwara, Kundam and Jabalpur were evaluated for their growth performance from nursery stage (3 months) to field (two years). Variation in seed oil content of different sources were also studied and reported. Significant differences between the seed sources at age 27 months were observed for height, collar diameter, number of branches leaf area and field survival. Seeds collected from different sources also varied significantly in respect of seed and kernel weight and oil content in seed/kernel. The Chhindwara (M.P.) source performed the best and yielded a maximum oil of 39.12% from whole seed and 58.12% from kernel. The oil content ranged from 33.02 to 39.12% in whole seeds and 47.08 to 58.12% in kernel, across the seed sources. The performance of Kundam (M.P.), Jabalpur (M.P.), Bichia (M.P.), Niwas (M.P.) and Nasik (Maharashtra) sources were also found satisfactory for oil yield. Results indicate that genetic differences exist between the seed sources of J. curcas. The growth traits showed significant positive correlation with each other. Fair differences between phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variability were observed. Heritability (broad sense) values were fairly good with regard to leaf area, height and collar diameter in comparison to survival percent. The relative performance of these sources was fairly consistent throughout the observation period.

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Seed Source Variation in Growth Performance and Oil Yield of Jatropha curcas Linn. in Central India

Aggressive renewable energy policies have helped the biofuels industry grow at a rate few could have predicted. However, while discourse on the energy balance and environmental impacts of agricultural biofuel feedstocks are common, the potential they hold for additional production has received considerably less attention. Here we present a new biofuel yield analysis based on the best available global agricultural census data. These new data give us the first opportunity to consider geographically-specific patterns of biofuel feedstock production in different regions, across global, continental, national and sub-national scales. Compared to earlier biofuel yield tables, our global results show overestimates of biofuel yields by ~100% or more for many crops. To encourage the use of regionally-specific data for future biofuel studies, we calculated complete results for 20 feedstock crops for 238 countries, states, territories and protectorates.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/4/1/014004/pdf

Resetting global expectations from agricultural biofuels

Jatropha seed oils for energy.

Proportion of above-ground biomass in commercial logs and residues following the harvest of five commercial forest species in Australia

This paper describes the extraction of water by field crops of sunflower and sorghum from deep podzolic profiles during a drying cycle encompassing most of the growth period The work was done to evaluate sunflower as a prospective dryland crop for southern Australia, and data are presented for two contrasting years Sunflower extracted water more rapidly from all levels of the measured profile (0-2 m) Both species drew similar amounts from the top 1 m, but sunflower took two to three times more than sorghum from 1-2 m, the difference being greater in the year of greater evaporative load Sunflower exhausted the soil of available water to 150-175 cm, sorghum only to 50 cm, taking progressively less from each successive layer down the profile Extraction of available water from 0-2 m by sunflower was estimated to be 92%, and by sorghum 64% In the absence of rainfall during its growth period, dryland sunflower is strongly dependent on the presence of water at depth - for example, at 50% flowering the crop was already drawing two-thirds of its water from below 1 m This dependence limits the frequency with which the crop may be grown in southern Australia and regions similarly characterised by low effective summer rainfall, high evaporative load, and uncertainty in the time needed for a recharge of the profile sufficient to grow sunflower again In such environments, sunflower may better be regarded as an opportunity crop than as one featuring regularly in farm rotations

A field comparison of sunflower helianthus annuus and sorghum sorghum bicolor in a long drying cycle i. water extraction

This report is a preliminary assessment of the potential for production of liquid fuels for transport from agricultural and forestry resources in Australia in the next 20 to 40 years, using existing or near- term technologies. These resources include both residues from existing production and crops grown especially as fuel crops on lands that are not used for crops at present. If properly managed they would be renewable fuel resources that could supply liquid fuels indefinitely. The liquid fuels considered are ethanol and methanol. The estimated total net liquid fuel from the sources considered is approximately 420 pj, which is more than half of the 1977-78 use of liquid fuel in transport in Australia of about 700 pj. Thus these sources could make a significant contribution to our liquid fuel needs. The main potential contribution would be from a virtual doubling of the cereal grain and the sugarcane industries. Pure alcohol fuels at the conversion plant using present commercial technology could cost more than three times the 1975-76 price of equivalent motor spirit ex refinery. Adding taxes, distribution costs, and retail costs, their estimated retail cost would be more than twice the retail price of motor spirit. The estimated cost of production of methanol from coal is much lower than the cost of alcohol fuels from biomass. There are no economic reasons for turning to the renewable resource- based alcohol fuels at present. (TRRL)

The Potential for liquid fuels from agriculture and forestry in Australia

Oilseed crops are potential renewable sources for a significant proportion of Australia's diesel fuel requirement. Seed processing technology is well developed: little water is required for processing, and the fibrous seed coat can provide sufficient energy for heat and steam for oil extraction. The net energy gain is equivalent to approximately 2 litres of oil for every 3 litres produced. The ex-plant costs of oils from linseed, rapeseed and dehulled sunflower are estimated to be 44-59C per litre, compared with the excise-free wholesale cost of distillate in rural centres of 27C per litre. More than one tonne of protein-rich meal is produced with each tonne of oil, but the amounts likely to be produced in Australia are small in relation to the increasing amounts entering world trade. Five million hectares of oilseeds would produce approximately 20 per cent of current distillate consumption. This level of cropping could be achieved with conventional cultivation and without reducing current crop production. Reduced-tillage technology and new oilseed crops suited to the drier cereal zone might increase oilseed production by the equivalent of a further 15-20 per cent of distillate consumption. (Author/TRRL)

Oilseeds as a renewable source of diesel fuel

Fuels from crops and forests are one of the alternative options for future energy supplies. A survey of the national potential to produce ethanol and methanol from arable crops, forestry and their residues shows that more than half of present liquid fuels used in transport could be met from such sources without reducing national food and fibre production from crops. The estimated retail prices of such fuels, assuming taxes and distribution costs as for motor spirit, are more than twice the retail price of motor spirit. The cost of methanol from coal is so much lower than the cost of alcohols from biomass that there are no economic reasons for initiating production of alcohols from biomass at present, but there are several reasons why research and development on alcohols from biomass should be continued (A). (TRRL)

G A Stewart

Papers

The Potential for liquid fuels from agriculture and forestry in Australia

Oilseeds as a renewable source of diesel fuel

Liquid fuel production from agriculture and forestry in australia: resume of a survey of the national potential

Liquid fuel production from agriculture and forestry in Australia: resume of a survey of the national potential