Centre for Jatropha Promotion Announces Pongamia Progress
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The Centre for Jatropha Promotion & Biodiesel (CJP) recently announced progress on its work with pongamia, a legume tree that bears inedible oilseeds. According to the CJP, it has developed a highly productive variety of the plant and a set of best practices that will enable high oil yields.
CJP CEO Abhishek Maharshi said the organization’s research team has identified and collected 42 high-yielding pongamia candidates and evaluated genetic association and variability in seed and growth characteristics in order to develop improved varieties. The CJP team’s pongamia work is currently focused on genomic and genetic research. Maharshi said that the work will enable highly productive plantations of the crop to be grown.
…Maharshi also notes that the CJP is not working to develop a high-etch agrarian concept for pongamia cultivation that warrants maximum inputs and delivers bumper crops. Rather, he said the CJP is looking to develop a model for cultivation that is compatible with the practices of local farmer in India. The goal is to make pongamia growth profitable for rural growers while requiring minimal inputs. READ MORE



