The Mother Nature has actually provided us innumerable bounties ... some we understand of and some that are still concealed in the deep secrets waiting to be revealed and waiting to enrich our lives. Among these bounties is Jatropha, the physic nut. It is among the most popular herbs and the term jatropha curcas is actually a "genus" covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros indicating physician and trophe meaning nutrition. So physic nuts or Jatropha, from the kingdom plantae is being studied extensively for it can be put to lots of usages in our lives.
To begin with, jatropha curcas is discovering excellent approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The Jatropha seeds can be squashed to acquire the oil and this can be utilized as a bio-fuel. The residues can be used as fertilizer or as a feed for electricity creating plants. And this enables a sustainable development. Not simply the seeds, however the plant as a whole is well fit to satisfy the growing ecological issues. And why just the bio-diesel, it can be used as air travel fuel, auto fuel and a host of other usages from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant find usages in basket making, decorative purposes, and tanning leather and obtaining dyes. The plant even discovers usage in medicines for cough, balm lotions, toothpastes, cosmetics and is even used to produce good quality paper. The plant is, therefore, being put to almost every conceivable use possible.
Though it puts the concern of having a renewable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it needs to be nurtured and taken care of to permit a healthy plant growth. And it has actually been observed that the jatropha curcas plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in locations with lots of rains. This cuts the burden on the water resources, enables water preservation and human effort too. Because the watering investment is only one time cost of time, cash, effort and resources, it is being accepted as a sustainable option worldwide.
But it is not all goodie - gift about the plant. The jatropha curcas plant has hazardous content. It has lectin, saponin, phorbol, toxalbumin curcin and is a trypsin inhibitor. In easy words, it can be harmful and in extreme conditions, even fatal to consume unattended plant. The seeds have to be effectively roasted and treated before being utilized in any consumable usage. Since it has ended up being feasible to treat the toxic material, the plant consumption has actually also been rising. To meet the increasing needs, the plant has actually to be grown through different scientific approaches like in-vitro and ex-vitro propagation. This permits for quick development and for establishing disease and insect resistant varieties of the plant. And a healthy crop will mean more fuel and much better environment on the whole.
It is in our hands to live in consistency with the nature, and it is our choices that identify the outcome of the interaction we have with the nature. If we choose environment friendly products, we enhance our lives. So, picking jatropha curcas can be the very first step in improving the wealth called environment.