page_title: Biodiesel
section_title: Jatropha
hierarchical_section_title: Biodiesel / Current research / Jatropha
caption_attribution_description: English: It is made by the 'Defence Research and Development Organisation', India or DRDO, shown at the 'Pride of India' exhibition, organised by the 'Indian Science Congress Association' on the occasion of the '100th Indian Science Congress' in Kolkata from 3rd to 7th january, 2013.
context_page_description: Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat, soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil with an alcohol, producing a methyl, ethyl or propyl ester.
  Unlike the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines, biodiesel is a drop-in biofuel, meaning it is compatible with existing diesel engines and distribution infrastructure. Biodiesel can be used alone or blended with petrodiesel in any proportions. Biodiesel blends can also be used as heating oil.
  The US National Biodiesel Board defines "biodiesel" as a mono-alkyl ester.
context_section_description: Several groups in various sectors are conducting research on Jatropha curcas, a poisonous shrub-like tree that produces seeds considered by many to be a viable source of biodiesel feedstock oil. Much of this research focuses on improving the overall per acre oil yield of Jatropha through advancements in genetics, soil science, and horticultural practices.
  SG Biofuels, a San Diego-based Jatropha developer, has used molecular breeding and biotechnology to produce elite hybrid seeds of Jatropha that show significant yield improvements over first generation varieties. SG Biofuels also claims that additional benefits have arisen from such strains, including improved flowering synchronicity, higher resistance to pests and disease, and increased cold weather tolerance.
  Plant Research International, a department of the Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, maintains an ongoing Jatropha Evaluation Project (JEP) that examines the feasibility of large scale Jatropha cultivation through field and laboratory experiments.
  The Center for Sustainable Energy Farming (CfSEF) is a Los Angeles-based non-profit research organization dedicated to Jatropha research in the areas of plant science, agronomy, and horticulture. Successful exploration of these disciplines is projected to increase Jatropha farm production yields by 200–300% in the next ten years.
caption: Jatropha Biodiesel from DRDO, India.
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