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The problem of unreliable oil content and unappealing economic returns has resulted in drop in interest towards Jatropha business.  There is an increasing interest towards understanding the factors that influence oil content in seeds. Investigating the molecular basis of lipid accumulation during seed development and understanding the genetic factors regulating storage lipid biosynthesis in Jatropha seeds would be of immense help in understanding the biological basis of variable oil yield. A recent research study has characterized the process of lipid accumulation in developing seeds of Jatropha curcas. The temporal expression profiles of 21 lipid genes in Jatropha developing seeds was examined and it was observed that the up-regulated expression patterns of fifteen lipid genes correlated with lipid accumulation.

The molecular basis of seed development and lipid accumulation from female flowers pollinated to mature seeds were examined by investigating the temporal expression profiles of 21 lipid genes involved in different steps of the pathways leading to fatty acid and TAG synthesis within Jatropha developing seeds using quantitative real-time PCR technology. Two gene groups including 15 genes had up-regulated expression patterns which correlated with storage lipid accumulation in developing seeds.

The research study would helpful in understanding the molecular basis of lipid biosyntheses and identifying the rate-limiting genes during seed development

With novel research efforts such as these, one can expect the arrival of GE based improved Jatropha varieties.

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The cultivation of Jatropha in maringal lands is always a debatable issue due to lack of any success stories about such a type of cultivation and also due to lack of diversified benefits. It is obvious that Jatropha can grow in arid and semi- arid land, but there is no compelling evidence that the shrub could tolerate so much of a stress to survive in major drought conditions.
Though wastelands represent a vast untapped land resource suitable for Jatropha cultivation, their suitability for commercially viable Jatropha plantations is a big question, especially with the cultivation strategies that are in practise. Off late there is a wide spread understanding that cultivation in marginal land would result in marginal yields only. A recent research study which assessed the biomass production and allocation in Jatropha curcas seedlings under different levels of drought stress, echoed the same.  The study assessed the growth, biomass production and accumulation in Jatropha curcas under normal conditions, moderate drought and severe drought conditions.
Under normal conditions J. curcas seedlings grew 0.81 cm / day in length and produced 1.49 g dry biomass/ day. Under medium stress which was characterised by a 40% water availability, the plants grew at lower rate with stem length 0.28 cm/ day and dry biomass production: 0.64 g /day. Seedlings under extreme drought stress (no irrigation) stopped growing, started shedding leaves and showed shrinking stem diameter from the 12th day after the start of the drought treatment.
The study thus provides significant evidence that both the biomass allocation and root/shoot growth were significantly influenced by drought. It is hence obvious that if the plant is grown in arid and semi arid conditions, it should be essential to maintain optimum water requirements so as to have a commercially profitable plantation.

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