Uses of Jatropha

 

Jatropha has many uses in today's world. Each and every part of the plant is useful in some ways. Even the seed cake produced as a by product is used as an excellent organic fertilizer. Some parts of the plant are used for medical purposes. In short all the parts of the jatropha plant can be used or sold.

Here are some of the uses of jatropha plant:

  The non edible vegetable oil extracted from the jatropha plant can be used as an alternative to the diesel oil. The jatropha oil has advantageous physicochemical and the characteristic that is equal to diesel. So cars can use this oil with little change in their design.

  The oil can be used as an illuminant without refining.

  The jatropha oil burns with clear free smoke and flame.

  Because of its high saponification the oil is used to make soap in some parts of the world.

  Jatrophine an alkaloid material is present in the latex of jatropha which is assumed to have anti cancerous properties.

  It is used on the domestic livestock for skin diseases, sore and rheumatism.

  The tender wing of the jatropha plant is used for cleaning.

  The juice of the leaf is used for piles as an external application.

  The roots are believed to act as an antidote for snake bites.

  A dark blue dye is extracted from the bark of jatropha. This dye is used as a coloring matter for clothes, fishing nets, and lines.

  Jatropha oil cake is used as organic manure since it is rich in potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen.

  Silkworms consume the leaves of the jatropha leaves for their diet.

  Jatropha oil is used as a lubricant for machinery and is also used to soften leather.

Apart from the above uses the main use of the jatropha land is that it turns the waste land into money making one. Thus increasing the income and lessening the poverty for women and children of small farmer families.

Other Uses Jatropha

Seeds

  Seeds are used to produce insecticides

  Jatropha seed is used as a medicine for constipation

  Oils extracted from jatropha plant is used as biofuel

Oil

  The oil is used in torches and lantern as it burns with clean free smoke

  The oil is used to soften the leather

  Used as a lubricant in machinery

  Also used for making soap

  Because of excellent combination of potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen the jatropha oil cake is used as organic manure.

Plant

  Used to fight against the skin diseases, rheumatism and as a curative for sores on domestic livestock

  Dark blue dye from the bark is used for coloring cloths and fish nets

Leaves and Twigs

  Leaves of jatropha are used as a massage material for strained muscles

  It is used as a brewed tea to combat malaria

  Jatropha plant twigs are used to clean the teeth

  The young leaves of jatropha can be safely eaten by steaming them or cooking it.

  Powdered jatropha leaves are applied to horses eyes to get rid of the flies since hydrogen cyanide is present in the leaves

Flowers

  Because of HCN the flowers of the jatropha is listed as honey plant

Nuts

  Used as a contraceptive

Roots

  Root ashes are used as substitute for slat since they contain HCN and Rotenone.

Bark

  Bark of jatropha is used as a fish poison

Latex

  Strongly suppresses the mosaic viruses

Shrub

  Shrubs of jatropha act as a host for the lac insects

  It is also used for controlling the erosion

Apart from the uses, the jatropha plant has many advantages. To see complete list of jatropha advantages refer to Advantages of Jatropha