The Mother Nature has actually provided us numerous bounties ... some we know of and some that are still concealed in the deep secrets waiting to be revealed and waiting to enhance our lives. One of these bounties is Jatropha, the physic nut. It is one of the most popular herbs and the term jatropha curcas is in fact a "genus" covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros indicating doctor and trophe significance nutrition. So physic nuts or Jatropha, from the kingdom plantae is being studied extensively for it can be put to many uses in our day-to-day lives.
To start with, jatropha curcas is discovering terrific approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The Jatropha seeds can be crushed to obtain the oil and this can be used as a bio-fuel. The residues can be used as fertilizer or as a feed for electrical power generating plants. And this permits a sustainable development. Not just the seeds, but the plant as a whole is well fit to fulfill the growing environmental issues. And why simply the bio-diesel, it can be used as aviation fuel, auto fuel and a host of other usages from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant find uses in basket making, ornamental purposes, and tanning leather and getting dyes. The plant even discovers usage in medicines for cough, balm ointments, toothpastes, cosmetics and is even utilized to produce great quality paper. The plant is, therefore, being put to almost every credible usage possible.
Though it puts the worry of having a renewable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it requires to be nurtured and cared for to enable for a healthy plant growth. And it has been observed that the Jatropha plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in areas with a lot of rainfall. This cuts the problem on the water resources, permits water preservation and human effort too. Because the irrigation financial 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 hazardous and in severe conditions, even deadly to consume unattended plant. The seeds have to be appropriately roasted and treated before being utilized in any consumable usage. Since it has actually ended up being practical to deal with the toxic material, the plant usage has also been increasing. To meet the increasing needs, the plant has actually to be grown through numerous clinical techniques like in-vitro and ex-vitro proliferation. This enables for rapid growth and for developing disease and pest resistant varieties of the plant. And a healthy crop will suggest more fuel and better environment on the whole.
It is in our hands to live in consistency with the nature, and it is our options that figure out the outcome of the interaction we have with the nature. If we pick environment friendly products, we improve our lives. So, choosing jatropha curcas can be the primary step in enhancing the wealth called environment.