D1 Oils Plant Science manager says J-root planting problems key cause of low jatropha yields
Vincent Volckaert, Regional Manager in Africa for D1 Oil Plant Science, said that plans are under consideration at D1 to open the Plant Science division to serving outside customers with its catalogue of jatropha data, varietals, and extensive research.
D1 Oils Plant Science maintains 12 research centers around the world. Volckaert cautioned delegates at the 4th African Biofuels conference from considering jatropha a “miracle crop”, saying that it survives but does not thrive in marginal soils, cannot stand frost, and while it is not attractive to large animals it has its own set of pests and diseases including golden flea beetle, the leaf miner, mildew, and mites to contend with. Volckaerts’s presentation, which can be downloaded here, took observers through several years of plant science.
Volckaert emphasized that the first year is critical, and said that improper planting was often the cause of low yields. He showed images of “J-roots”, seedlings pushed improperly into the ground that caused taproots to bend upwards and denied necessary water and nutrients. He offered numerous slides on the impact of single inputs, describing phosphorus as a specifically important input. He said that D1’s Global survey found that 90 percent of jatropha plants were in bad condition based on the number of branches, mortality and pests and diseases.
He said that while traditional crops have taken 30-50 years to become domisticated and mature, jatropha would mature as a domesticated crop in 15 years through aggressive development. He said that D1 is seeing up to 2 tons per hectare in seeds with a 37-389 percent oil content, in trials.
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Joelle Brink | Apr 2, 2009 | Reply
Successful Jatropha growers in the US and India–including Pradip Bhar of D1–now recommend planting from seed rather than seedlings because the small containers typically used for seedlings prevent the growth of the secondary root system as well as interfering with the tap root. Jatropha is a succulent that stores water in its roots. With a well-developed root system it can withstand drought and still produce well, although drip irrigated plants produced three crops per year in tests instead of two, according to Richard Ogoshi and Mike Poteet of the Univerity of Hawaii.
chumroen | May 18, 2009 | Reply
D1BP being the pinoeer and lead in Jatropha activities in the past many years .
Does D1BP dare to claim that they are successfully in the Jatropha plantation.
There are only teh news of new promoted plantation in soem new countries from one to teh another next.
If we would follow up and integrated up all the willing to plant acreages.The world must be full of jatropha trees.
As to teh update report .The total planting acreages eitehr their own managed plantation of contract farming.
The total planted acreages are far below what the hype was.
Unfortunately after few years actively publicise.
We do not know how many metric tons D1BP would be able to generate for the market after spending huge funding raised up from the investor.
Is Jatropha a real crop to invest ??