Jatropha oil pioneer SG Biofuels opens Jatropha Genetic Resource Center
In California, jatropha oil developer SG Biofuels announced the opening of its Jatropha Genetic Resource Center to further accelerate profitable, large-scale production of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainable source of feedstock for biofuel.
“Our library of genetic material provides an unprecedented opportunity to push this undomesticated crop to its full potential,” said Kirk Haney, president and CEO for SG Biofuels said in a statement. “We already have identified many strains whose characteristics suggest we’ve only scratched the surface for the production capabilities of Jatropha. Our GRC allows us to identify commercially valuable traits and continue to enhance them through our genetic and scientific programs.”
The company said that it expects to reach yields of 200-300 gallons of extractable oil per acre based on its advanced site selection, breeding and cultivation techniques.
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Joelle Brink | Apr 25, 2009 | Reply
I believe this is one of the companies working to increase the frost tolerance of Jatropha. Jatropha is an American native plant that is currently limited to tropical areas of the US, such as south Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the southwestern border states.
However many of its close relatives are domesticated ornamental plants with a larger range. Labs worldwide are working on experimental crosses with Jatropha to increase its frost tolerance and yield.
If its US range can be substantially enlarged, Jatropha could be a major contributor to energy independence. At present it needs to be hand harvested, which limits its commercial viability to low wage countries. However research on mechanical harvesting is currently under way.
chumroen | May 7, 2009 | Reply
There are so many claims of the high yield Jatropha varetoes inthe jatropha communities .
Unfortunately there are none could provide the hard fact with testimonial evidences to support of such high yield .
The more iportant issue is the secured of the cnsisting yiled.
There are few Jatrophat trees of the same strains are exhibting different profuctivity yield in the same planting location.
To claim the good strains with only few tress having highernumer of fruits may not enough to announce teh success of the new varietty.
We are looking for SECURED and HIGH Yiled varioties with testomnial support.