摘要：Jatropha curcas belonging to family Euphorbiaceae, a perennial plant produces seed with 31-37 percent of oil, which can be combusted as fuel without being refined. This fuel known as the process of transesterification can produce bio-diesel. Jatropha plant is grown in marginal and poor soil with minimum cultural practices or in wastelands with low fertility, rockiness, and shallowness of soil. Besides higher cetane number, oil reduces emission of carbon monoxide by 44 percent, sulphates by 100 percent and ozone forming potential by less than 50 percent. Through Jatropha cultivation, not only bio-diesel can be obtained but also a tremendous opportunity will be there for employment generation in an agricultural country like India. This paper provides some inputs to show the importance of bio-fuel to combat pollution problems and solve fuel crisis.
