Slopes become productive lands with jatropha curcas

The cultivation of jatropha curcas is no longer a dream but a reality, the peasantry being taken, added 41 municipalities where they have established to date 9 000 300 hectares, in which it is possible to validate the technology, planting systems, maintenance plantation and propagation methods, reported the Institute of Bioenergetics.

For the momentum of the crop has established nurseries in the state of Chiapas with a production capacity of 21 million plants, it performs a technical-economic assessment of methods of propagation for the production of plants of the species known as pinion or jatropha curcas , determine the viability of seeds at different storage conditions.

There is also a gene bank in 55 hectares of materials from 41 municipalities in the state of Chiapas, in relation to genetic improvement is proposed collections of materials from "Jatropha curcas", conservation in field genebanks, identifying storage conditions and preservation "in vitro" of seeds and plants of outstanding genotypes agronomic evaluation, development of propagation methods "in vitro" study of the inheritance of seed yield components and oil content.

A study by the Institute of Bioenergetics sent to the Committee on Biofuels Congress of the State, establishes that there is no imposition of the project to farmers, plantation development has to do with awareness, evaluation of methods of planting, topological arrangements, tillage methods, systems of production with food crops, production systems of crops with market potential, determination of milk and meat production with Jatropha grazing and agroforestry systems for soil conservation on hillsides .

For the proper management of the plantations are performed to determine consumptive use of optimal doses of fertilization, pruning methods, evaluation of partner agencies of jatropha, determining methods and rates of harvest, oil quality in different storage conditions seed, the hormonal effect on floral differentiation and maturation of fruits and develop studies of the physiology of flowering, says the report.

It also specifically proposed phenological studies of varieties in various agro-ecological zones in the state of Chiapas, identification and genetic characterization of 43 regional collections of Chiapas, molecular characterization and identification of pests and diseases in the jatropha curcas, characterization of 2 varieties performance in 3 agro-ecological conditions in the state.

Accurate Institute of Bioenergy in the phase of post-harvest quality analysis made of oil, chemical physical studies, results that will get varieties of high yield and quality adapted to the agro-ecological conditions of Chiapas and the Mesoamerican region it is to have a validated technology package under specific conditions of production, strengthening the productive base of supplies for the production of biofuels.

At the same time, the study, enhance the development of sustainable technologies competitive production inputs for the production of biofuels, generate, share and exchange knowledge and experience generated in the state on the issue of production of inputs for biofuel production specifically and help train human resources capable of generating and face the technological changes and stay ahead on the information in the field of production of biofuel feedstocks.