Recent Developments in Jatropha Research

The genus Jatropha comprises a range of species with a wide range of potential applications. For instance, J. dioica and J. curcas have important medicinal, pharmaceutical and food uses, as described throughout the book. Most of the chapters of this book are focused on this later species, which is considered as the most promising and the one with the most applications. J. curcas oil is used as substrate for biodiesel production and, due to its high tolerance and uptake of metals, this plant is also used in phytoremediation, to be specific for the remediation of degraded mining areas. This book presents an overview of both current and promising applications of the species of Jatropha to the agricultural, mining and biofuel industries and, to lesser extent, the pharmaceutical and food industries. The agronomic practices (genotypes, plant density, fertilization, pruning and harvest date) are described as well. The most recent developments are discussed and the future prospects for research in these fields are explored.