How to Grow Jatropha Seed

Jatropha (Jatropha curcus) is a warm-climate bush that produces a black oilseed about the size of a large bean. Although both plant and the oil from its seed are inedible and poisonous, jatropha has gained fame as a potential source of biofuel. To grow it on a large scale, you need land in a tropical region. Jatropha also grows as a hedge and it prefers dry conditions, doing well in sandy soil, which doesn't hold onto moisture. Seeds directly sown outdoors germinate within 10 days.

• 1

  Prepare a plot that provides fast drainage and air circulation underground. Pull all the weeds and incorporate a 2- to 3-inch layer of manure into the soil. Jatropha also thrives in low-nutrient ground, but its fruit yield isn't as abundant.

• 2

  Make seed holes 3 feet apart to grow a jatropha hedge. Double this distance for a biofuel crop. The depth of the holes should be twice the size of the seed.

• 3

  Soak the seeds in water for eight hours before planting them. If they're still in hulls, crack them and remove the seeds before placing them in water. Plan to sow at the beginning of the rain season.

• 4

  Soak the holes with water and press the seeds into the soil on the bottom of the furrow. The first week, irrigate your seeds twice a day. From the eighth day on, reduce the water to once daily.

• 5

  Harvest jatropha seeds one year later, after the fruit becomes yellow to brown. Store or replant them. Use seeds that have dried and turned black for biofuel production.