The Nature has actually provided us many bounties ... some we understand of and some that are still concealed in the deep secrets waiting to be revealed and waiting to enrich our lives. One of these bounties is jatropha curcas, the physic nut. It is among the most popular herbs and the term Jatropha is in fact a “genus” covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros meaning physician and trophe meaning nutrition. So physic nuts or jatropha curcas, from the kingdom plantae is being studied widely for it can be put to lots of uses in our every day lives.

To begin with, jatropha curcas is discovering excellent approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The jatropha curcas seeds can be crushed to obtain the oil and this can be utilized as a bio-fuel. The residues can be used as fertilizer or as a feed for electrical energy producing plants. And this allows for a sustainable advancement. Not simply the seeds, however the plant as a whole is well suited to fulfill the growing ecological concerns. And why just the bio-diesel, it can be utilized as aviation fuel, auto fuel and a host of other usages from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant discover uses in basket making, ornamental functions, and tanning leather and acquiring dyes. The plant even finds use in medications for cough, balm ointments, tooth pastes, cosmetics and is even used to produce excellent quality paper. The plant is, therefore, being put to nearly every conceivable use possible.

Though it puts the concern of having a sustainable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it needs to be supported and taken care of to permit a healthy plant development. And it has been observed that the jatropha curcas plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in locations with plenty of rainfall. This cuts the concern on the water resources, enables water conservation and human effort too. Because the irrigation investment is only one time cost of time, cash, effort and resources, it is being accepted as a sustainable option worldwide.

But it is not all gift - gift about the plant. The Jatropha plant has harmful material. It has lectin, saponin, phorbol, toxalbumin curcin and is a trypsin inhibitor. In easy words, it can be damaging and in extreme conditions, even fatal to consume unattended plant. The seeds have to be effectively roasted and treated before being utilized in any consumable usage. Since it has become practical to treat the hazardous material, the plant intake has actually also been increasing. To meet the increasing needs, the plant needs to be grown through various scientific approaches like in-vitro and ex-vitro proliferation. This permits for rapid growth and for developing and insect resistant varieties of the plant. And a healthy crop will imply more fuel and better environment on the whole.

It is in our hands to live in harmony with the nature, and it is our choices that figure out the outcome of the interaction we have with the nature. If we pick environment friendly items, we enrich our lives. So, picking jatropha curcas can be the first step in improving the wealth called environment.