Identification of elite lines of Jatropha curcas(L.) Germplasm through selection for improved oil yield for utilization as biodiesel crop for wastelands

Abstract

Twenty three elite lines of jatropha curcas (L.) were evaluated against check Chatrapati (the only released variety of]. curcas in India) consecutively for 3 years (2007-08 to 2009-10) at CRIDA, Hyderabad, the southern part of India. The seed yield varied from 287.8 kg/ha to 590.3 kg/ha between years, indicating the influence of environment and age of the plant. The rainfall during 2008-09 and 2009-10 was 43.5% and 24.9% more than that of 2007-08. However, the oil content was not influenced much by environmental variation during study period. The broad sense heritability was high for all the traits across years indicating that these traits were mainly controlled by genetic factor as compared to environmental component, although environment played an important role as in expression of these traits. Out of the 23 genotypes tested, five outperformed the check Chatrapati. The present study have clearly indicated that through selection for seed yield and oil content, could be enhanced by 43.9%, which is a significant impact of selection among 23 elite lines. With a superiority of 52.1 to 70.5% over the check Chatrapati, five elite lines viz. CRDJ-1 to CRDJ-5 was identified for superior oil yield.