Jatropha: The Biodiesel Plant Biology, Tissue Culture and Genetic Transformation - A Review

The genus Jatropha is distributed through out the t ropics and sub-tropics growning in marginal lands and is a potential biodi esel crop world wide. The plants can prevent soil erosion, grown as a live fence and use d as an alternate commercial crop. The seed oil can be used as a feed stock for biodiesel. Alternatively Jatropha oil is used in soap, glue or dye industry. The seed cake is rich iand phosphorus, and can be used as manure. All parts of the plant including se eds have medicinal properties. However, the toxic components of the seed need imme diate attention and efforts are needed to genetically modify Jatropha seed toxins t o useful and non-toxic components through genetic transformation. This review focuses some basic aspect of the distribution, diversity, biology, cultivation, tissue culture and genetic transformation of Jatropha.