Top crop research agency joins biodiesel race

DH News Service NEW DELHI, July 30

India's top crop research agency has finally jumped on to the
biodiesel bandwagon.

With financial support from National Oil Seeds and Vegetable Oil
Development Board, one of the ICAR institutes – Central Research
Institute on Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in Hyderabad – has decided
to plant 73,500 Pongamia trees, a common source of plant-derived oil,
over the next two years. The oil will be mixed with normal diesel to
make biodiesel.

"We have received the money last Friday. The trees will be planted at
Nalgonda and Karimnagar districts," CRIDA director Dr Y S
Ramakrishnan told Deccan Herald on the sidelines of ICAR director's
meeting here today.

Pongamia oil is a deep yellow, or reddish-brown oil extracted from
the seeds of east Indian tree Pongamia. Seeds of the plant contain
30.7 to 42 per cent oil and in general one hectare of the plant
produces 50-70 kg seeds.


Besides its use in rheumatism and skin diseases caused by fungal
growth, Pongamia oil is also useful for the soap and oil cake
industry.

Though normally Jathropa and Jajoba plants are considered as the key
source for biodiesel, Dr Ramakrishnan felt that Pongamia could be a
better choice.

"Though slow growing, Pongamia can be grown in hard areas unsuitable
for most of the plants," endorsed ICAR director general Dr Mangala
Rai. The tree takes about four years to mature and yields seed for 10-
15 years.

After collecting some of the best quality species from National
Centre for Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), here, CRIDA is in the
process of making the saplings at the nursery, which will be planted
later.
http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/july31/n10.asp