Download Taxonomy and biology of the tropical plant Jatropha curcas L.

Taxonomy and biology of the
tropical plant Jatropha curcas L.
Claudine Campa, IRD
Damien Kuhn, AgroParis Tech
Diegane Diouf, UCAD
Christian Valentin, IRD
Raphaël Manlay, AgroParis Tech
Jatropha curcas
A little known plant
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280 in 86 years
A plant in question
Or vert du désert
Green gold from the desert
► Non–edible plant
► Able to grow in arid zones
► Oily seeds Biofuel
A plant that creates the debate
Jatropha curcas
Jatropha curcas L.: Linnaeus (1753)
(iatros: doctor; trophé: food)
Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Hevea (Hevea brasiliensis)
Castor bean (Ricinus communis)
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Medicinal uses
Jatropha 170 species
2 Sub-Genus
Dehgan & Webster (1979)
Jatropha
Curcas
6 sections
Curcas
19 species
Jatropha curcas
Jatropha curcas L. [sect. Curcas (Adans.) Griseb., subg. Curcas (Adans.) Pax]
Jatropha curcas
Pantropic tree
Indigenous to Mexico and Central America
Portuguese
seafers
After 1800
Cape Verde Islands
Portuguese Guinea
Caribbean
Centre of origin
Berry (1929)
Geological formations
Peru
(Heller, 1996)
Jatropha curcas
Shrub or small tree (6 m)
(3 to 10 m)
Deciduous (dry season)
Very high habitat plasticity
Very dry tropical zones
Wet Tropical Forest
Altitude
0– 500 m
Annual T° (mean)
18–28 °C (40°C)
Annual rainfall
300–1000 mm
(3000 mm)
Soil type
Well-drained
Jatropha curcas
High degree of phenological plasticity
►Heller, 1992
11 provenances
W Africa
E Africa
India
4 sites (Senegal, Cape Verde)
► 12 provenances (ICRISAT, Niger)
W Africa
E Africa
India
America
25
Height (cm)
Leaf number
20
15
10
5
Sn 45
se
SB 39
AN
BA 24
AS
BA 22
AS
La 3 8
s
pi
l la
M s
ex
ic
o
M
al
G
i
ui
ne Fal
ou
a
Bi
ss
au
E
SN
E
SN
S
30
S
28
S
SN
E
S
S
E
E
SN
SN
44
0
19
Same culture conditions
Tropical greenhouse
Montpellier
Very sensitive to environmental conditions
Jatropha curcas
Leaves
Arranged alternately
Flowers
Wet season (2 peaks)
Yellow-green
Inflorescence in the leaf axil
Male and female flowers
13:1 to 29:1
Pollination by insects (bees)
Limit for seed production
Fruit: on 1-3 year plants
Green capsule
Yellow
Mature seeds
(2- 4 months)
2 or 3 large black, oily seeds
bigislandfuelcrops.com
Jatropha curcas
Biochemical composition
Leaves
Flavonoids (apigenin)
Glycosyl-flavonoids (vitexin, isovitexin)
Sterols
Steroid sapogenins (terpenes)
Antileukemic activity
Stem
Bark : Tannins (37%) blue colour
curcine : toxalbumine
cyanogenic compounds
Latex : Tannins (10%)
Hydrocyanic acid (HCN)
Curcine : toxalbumine
Alkaloid (jatrophine)
Anti-cancerous properties
Fruit
Shell (30 %)
Kernell (= seed)
Trypsin inhibitors
Phytic acid (12%)
Saponins
Curcine
Phorbol esters (3%)
Non toxic varieties
Fat
38.0 %
Total carbohydrate
33.5
Proteins
18.2
Fiber
15.5
H2O
6.6
Ash
4.5
(Duke and Atchley, 1983)
Oil
Biofuel
Jatropha curcas
Seeds
►Lipid composition
Oleic acid
Palmitic acid
42.0 %
Stearic acid
6.3 %
35.4 %
14.5 %
Linoleic acid
Others
1.8 %
Seed oil
Trans
esterification
Liquid engine
fuel
Methyl esters
+
Bio-diesel
Glycerol
Jatropha curcas
Seeds
►Other compounds
Heating
Trypsin inhibitors
Curcine
Phytic acid
Phorbol esters
Inhibitors of digestion and
growth
Inactivated
~Abrin & Ricin toxicity
Agglutination of erythrocytes
Inactivated
Metal-chelating (Ca, Fe)
Tumor promoters
(protein kinase C activation)
Toxicity during
harvest?
Non edible
Oil
Seed cake
Heat-stable
factor
Stable factor
Biofuel toxicity?
Jatropha curcas
Some questions
Secondary metabolism
1 - Industrial use vs traditional?
Part of the plant
► Medecine
Treatment
Seed oil
Purgative action
Skin diseases
Leaf decoction
Cough
Antiseptic after birth
Stem sap flowing
To stop bleedings
Latex
Antimicrobial properties
2 - Real toxicity in seeds?
Jatropha curcas
Genetic diversity
Indian germplasm
RAPD, ISSR,
SCAR, AFLP markers
Weak genetic diversity
SCAR markers
Mexican origins
Genetic diversity
► A very recent dipersal (1800)
► Propagation by cuttings
No genetic diversity
- Selection ?
- Improvment for:
production or oil quality?
resistance?
GMO!
Jatropha curcas
Effect on soil erosion
► Propagation by seedlings
4 lateral roots
Taproot
► Propagation by cuttings
Limiting soil erosion
?
Jatropha curcas
Conclusions
Plant with high potentialities:
A great plasticity: able to develop in arid zones
A great diversity in the biochemical composition
But potentially:
Toxic
Negative for soil erosion
Difficult to improve because of its low genetic diversity
Merci!