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D1 Oils to trial jatropha production on Indonesian poor soils
16th May, 2008
The trials will test the performance of jatropha in ultisol soil types, which are common in Indonesia
The trials will be carried out in co-operation with University of Bengkulu (UNIB) in South West Sumatra, and will test the performance of jatropha in ultisol soil types, which are common in Indonesia.
These acidic soils, which are deficient in plant nutrients, cannot generally be used for sedentary agriculture without the aid of lime and other fertilisers and are easily exhausted. Jatropha curcas is well-adapted to poor quality soils, but it is expected that better oil yields can be obtained with application of a balanced mixture of fertilisers to support plant growth.
The trials with UNIB will compare growth and yield of jatropha curcas under different schemes of fertiliser application to determine the optimum level of fertilisers for the best plant growth and yield.
D1's global research network includes agreements with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for research into jatropha curcas in Andhra Pradesh in India, and with Katetsart University in Thailand to evaluate the growth and yield of Chinese cabbage, tomato and sweet potato when using jatropha curcas seedcake as a fertiliser.
'We expect Indonesia to be a key area for jatropha curcas cultivation, particularly in Sumatra and parts of Java where agricultural production is limited by low levels of soil nutrients,' Henk Joos, director of D1's plant science programme, says. 'Our co-operation with UNIB will enable us to explore further jatropha's potential as a crop that Indonesian farmers can grow on poorer soils and get commercial yields without heavy applications of expensive fertilisers.'
