Field Evaluation of Superior Accessions of Jatropha curcas under Micro-mission Programme in Himachal Pradesh’ (DBT, New Delhi funded project)

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Principal Investigator: Dr. Sandeep Sharma
Duration: 2008-2013
Achievement:

1. In multi-location trial on the basis of survival at Shri Jawalaji site in Kangra district (H.P.) the best accessions of Jatropha curcas are in the order of IC 550462>IC 560687>IC 565512>IC 553591>IC 550461>IC 468909. Accession IC 550462 recorded highest survival (38.88%) followed by IC 560687 (29.62%) and IC 565512 (27.77%) at the age of 3 years. The survival was quite low in that plantation owing to rooted cutting as planting material as well as nursery stock raised in tropical conditions and planted directly without proper conditioning under sub-temperate conditions of Himalayas.
2. In half sib progeny trial on the basis of fruit yield at Shri Jawalaji site in Kangra district (H.P.) the best accessions are in the order of IC 555379>IC 550431>IC 555029>IC 550448>IC 555382>IC 565027. The accession IC 555379 recorded highest fruit yield (52.41g/tree) followed by IC 550431 (49.06g/tree) and IC 555029 (48.60g/tree) after three years of plantation. The yields were quite low as compared to optimistic projections of 1.5 to 2 kg /tree made by few authors about a decade ago. The low yield in this study might be due to site conditions prevailing at Shri Jawalaji in district Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, or genetic makeup of tested accessions, or interaction of both. Currently Jatropha is not an economically viable option for farmers in Himachal Pradesh because of low yield and other associated problems of Jatropha cultivation under lower and mid Himalayan conditions.