Here are some of the guidelines that help you to cultivate Jatropha plant in the right way and to get the maximum yield.
- Plant the Jatropha plants on the degraded lands that are not apt for agriculture
- Jatropha plants should not be planted in waterlogged areas and sodic soils. Because this will have a ph value higher than 9, exposing the plant to wilt diseases. Soils with low ph value, and that is less in acidic content is suitable for Jatropha plantation.
- The selection of the right kind of seed is essential.
- Make sure that you grow the seedlings in a nursery and then plant them in a field. The direct seedling can also be done, but extra care should be taken that they are not damaged by any birds which result in poor cropping.
- Seed wastage can be prevented by soaking the seeds in the water for one full night, and then sprouting them will give the best results.
- The seedlings can be inoculated with appropriate carbuncular mycorrhizal to have a healthy seedling.
- Part of a stem can also be planted to get a new plant, but these plants will not develop a taproot and might be damaged by heavy winds and storms. But the plants from the seeds will produce a taproot.
- Dig 22 or 33 holes in the soil while planting the seedlings. Leave at least 3m space between the rows so that there is enough space for machinery work in the future.
- Once the Jatropha is planted, they will grow until their lifetime unless they are affected by any diseases.
- Keeping the soil moisture by any natural means or artificial means helps to initiate the sprouting leaves and buds.
- Once in a year after the rainy season, make sure that you fertilize the plants with urea and super-phosphate.
- Be careful with the leaf miner Scutellera nobilis since they are the severe and very dangerous pest to the Jatropha plant. This pest is very active and severe during the onset of the rainy season and the fast growth of the plant life phase.
- The first year of the plant needs sufficient irrigation for the dry summer to increase the living rate and to promote its growth.
(edited 2-Dec-2019)