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Non- Edible Treeborne oilseeds for cultivation of energy crops

Several tree species can be selected for biodiesel production. More than 300 different species

of oil-bearing trees are in existence which can be exploited commercially for making Biofuels..

All of them are naturally grown wild species, which have not yet been cultivated and harvestedsystematically for oil production. Some of the seeds have been collected by poor people for

lighting for decades. Only in small quantities, tree-borne oilseeds (TBOs) are used for

commercial purposes in the paint, lubricant and soap industry.

According to the National Oilseeds and Vegetable Oils Development Board of the Indian Ministry

of Agriculture (NOVOD) there are about ten species with economic potential for biodiesel

production including Jatropha, Pongamia pinnata, Simarouba glauca,9 Azadirachta indica

(Neem) and Madhuca indica (Mahua).

After not so encouraging results with Jatropha, Pongamia is gaining prominence as an

alternative feedstock of the Indian biodiesel sector. Simple reason being that this tree is

traditionally planted in several states and therefore well known to the people. Being a

multipurpose plant that is not only a source for oil but also for animal feed, manure, fire wood

and medical uses, farmers already integrate Pongamia into their farming systems. Also on

public land such as from forests or along road sides, it already is common practice for people to

collect and sell the seeds provided they find a market.

Pongamia plantation as a backward linkage for the manufacture of Biodiesel is ideally suitable

in present context.

As Pongamia has a high solvent extractable oil content (approx. 40%) and can grow on

malnourished soils with low levels of nitrogen and high levels of salt, it is fast becoming the

focus of a number of biodiesel research programs. Some of the advantages of Pongamia are: a

higher recovery and quality of oil than other crops, no direct competition with food crops as it

is a non-edible source of fuel, and no direct competition with existing farmland as it can be

grown on degraded and marginal land. As a legume it is also able to fix its own nitrogen from

the soil, minimising the need for added fertilisers.

Pongamia pinnata, belonging to family Leguminosae, was earlier known as Derris indica and

Pongamia glabra. It is a nitrogen fixing tree that produces seeds containing 25-30% oil. It is

often planted as an ornamental and shade tree. It is native to India and is receiving a

widespread attention at present as a TBOS. Pongamia is a medium-sized tree that generally

attains a height of about 8.0 m and a trunk diameter of more than 50 cm. The bark is thin, gray

to grayish-brown, and yellow on the inside. The alternate, compound pinnate leaves consist of5

or 7 leaflets which are arranged in 2 or 3pairs, and a single terminal leaflet. Pods are elliptical,

3-6 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, thick walled, and usually contain a single seed. Seeds are 10-20

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cm long, flat, oblong, and light brown in color. Pongamia thrives in areas having an annual

rainfall ranging from 500 to 2500 mm. In its natural habitat, the maximum temperature

exceeds 38oC and the minimum can be as low as 1oC.Mature trees can withstand water logging

and slight frost. This species grows in elevations of 1200 m, but in the Himalayan foothills it is

not found above 600 m. It can grow on most soil types ranging from stony to sandy to clayey,including dry sands and saline soils. The natural distribution of this species is along coasts and

river banks in India.

The average seed oil content is about 25%, but higher percentages are claimed nowadays due

to application of improved methods of oil extraction. The oil is thick and yellow-orange to

brown in colour. Traditionally, besides the cooking and lighting uses in rural areas, it was used

as a lubricant, water-paint binder, pesticide, and in soap making and tanning industries. The oil

is known to have value in folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatism as well as human and

animal skin diseases. Wood is beautifully grained and medium to coarse textured, but is not

durable as it is susceptible to insect attack and tends to split when sawn. Therefore, it is used

as fuel wood and cheap timber. The leaves are not readily eaten by animals, but it has some

fodder value in dry areas. Leaves are also used as insect repellent in stored grains. The oilcake

has use as poultry feed and also as manure with nematicidal value.