Irrigation Scheduling and Fertilization Improves Production Potential of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.): A Review

Potential of Jatropha curcas L. for producing energy from marginal land without inputs has recently drawn the attention, resulting in the planning of large commercial plantations in India and other countries. Major challenge for the extended use of J. curcas seems to be the lack of information on agro-technology and specially water and nutrient management on its potential yield under sub-optimal and marginal conditions. Therefore, it is very difficult to estimate yields from future plantations under sub-optimal growth conditions, situations where J. curcas is supposed to grow. There is a lack of information on basic agronomic properties of Jatropha cultivation on marginal lands in the semi-arid. Evaluation of agronomic performance of identified elite strains of J. curcas in marginal lands would be of paramount importance for addressing the gap areas in their agronomic properties and subsequently for harnessing their optimum economic potentials. The impacts of irrigation and nutrients on seed and oil yield of J. curcas in semi-arid conditions of northwest India are discussed here under this review paper.