Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Douglas Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>]

> With  Bio-fuels BP is looking at a plant called Jatropha in India as a 
> source
> of Diesel replacement. This plant is a native of Mexico and grows in 
> otherwise
> non-arable lands, live for 50 years and inprove the soil and are not
> susceptible to many pests and diseases.. It reads like a perfect weed but 
> there
> is more than one way to produce Bio-fuels and not all are as offensive of 
> using
> food crops and good land for probably energy negative crops.
>
> Pete C

Toxic jatropha not magic biofuel crop, experts warn
Reuters
Oilseed plant jatropha does not offer an easy answer to biofuels problems as 
some countries hope, because it can be toxic and yields are unreliable, 
experts and industry officials warned on Wednesday.

The woody plant can grow on barren, marginal land, and so is increasingly 
popular in countries such as China that are keen to boost biofuels output 
but nervous about food security.

But its nuts and leaves are toxic, requiring careful handling by farmers and 
at crushing plants, said experts at an oils and fats conference.

In addition, it is a labor-intensive crop as each fruit ripens at a 
different time and needs to be harvested separately. Its productivity is 
also low and has yet to be stabilized.
(12 September 2007)