Castor Bean

CJP is dedicated to the development of oil seed bearing trees [OSBT] - non-food multiple vegetable oil plantation and technologies in order to reduce Dependence on fossil fuels, bring greater control and security of fuel supply and reduce dangerous climate changing emissions, including CO2. CJP’s Jatropha and other non-food oil crop plantation program. With an effort to ‘grow beyond oil ‘, apart from Jatropha, CJP has identified, developed and cultivated as many as 15 oil seed bearing trees [OSBT] and non-food oil crops. With years of continuing research, experiments and trials has provided an adage to find and develop 2nd generation biodiesel feedstock with low cost input technology. In the search for more environmentally friendly fuels, the use of castor oil as “Biodiesel” has proven to have technical and ecological benefits, and stands as an opportunity for agricultural development in arid and impoverished areas throughout the tropics and sub tropics globally.

Castoroilplant

CJP has completed a series of Experiments and research on growing Castor Bean (ricinus communis) in conjunct with Jatropha in arid and semi arid regions and results an only viable solution for turning marginal lands into viable economic lands.

The oil extracted from the castor bean (ricinus communis) already has a growing international market, assured by more than 700 uses, ranging from medicines and cosmetics to substituting petroleum in the manufacturing of Biodiesel, plastics and lubricants. Each hectare of castor oil bean plants planted in arid and semi arid regions produces 350-900 kg of oil per hectare. Ricinus communis L. oil is critical to many industrial applications because of its unique ability to withstand high and low temperatures Compared with food crops, the castor-oil plant is an economic crop, Castor Bean has been widely accepted as an agricultural solution for all subtropical and tropical locations that addresses the need for commercial crops with low impute costs and at the same time provides traditional farming with a viable income from current non productive lands. Castor Bean does not compete with food crops, as Castor Bean can be grown on marginal lands, which are not competitive with food production lands. India is the most yield country of Castor-oil plant seed, the next is China Brazil and Thailand.

Given the widespread presence and ease of cultivation of the castor oil plant it could be cultivated in conjunction with subsistence agriculture programs as a potential oilseed feedstock for biodiesel CJP has honor to establish this untapped resource as alternative source for Bio- Diesel industry of future.

ABOUT THE PLANT

The castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a plant species of the Euphorbiaceae and the sole member of the genus Ricinus and of the subtribe Ricininae. Its seed is the castor bean which, despite its name, is not a true bean.Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein

Distribution and Habitat

It is indigenous to many parts of India and Africa; now it has spread out over all tropical and sub-tropical countries. Castor an oil yielding crop is grown especially in semi arid and arid regions. India, China, Brazil, USSR, Argentina, Thailand, Philippines are the main countries known for castor production. In India the plants is found throughout the hotter parts of the country, cultivated in the fields and gardens, also frequently found wild near habitation, roadside and on wastelands.

BOTANY

The castor plant may grow 6 to 15 feet (2-5 meters) in one season with full sunlight, heat and adequate moisture. Its palmately lobed and large leaves may grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) across and resemble a tropical aralia. There are various cultivated varieties with different foliage colorations like black-purplish, dark red-metallic, bronze-green, maroon, bright green with white veins, and just plain green

Flowers occur most of the year in dense terminal clusters, with female flowers just above the male flowers. There are no petals and each female flower consists of a little spiny ovary (which develops into the fruit or seed capsule), and a bright red structure with feathers. Each male flower consists of a cluster of many stamens which literally smoke as they shed pollen in a gust of wind

The castor bean seed looks like an engorged dog tick in size and shape, which is composed of three sections or carpels which split apart at maturity. Each section (carpel) contains a single seed, and as the carpel dries and splits open, the seed is often ejected with considerable force.

Castor bean fruit (ricinus communis) is the spiny, globose seed capsule (left) that dries and splits into 3 sections called carpels. Each carpel (right) splits open and forcibly ejects a large seed. Like the faces and fingerprints of people, the beautiful designs on castor seeds exhibit infinite genetic variation.

Ecological Requirements

Climate

Castor is essentially a warm season crop, cultivated in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Its cultivation is largely confined to countries lying between 400N and 400S latitudes, but in Russia, a few varieties are grown even up to 520 North latitude In India it is being cultivated up to an attitude of 2500m, but in regions where frosts are common during the crop season; its cultivation is restricted up to 500 m. A frost free growing period of 140-190 days depending on variety is highly essential for obtaining satisfactory yields. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions as a perennial plant and in temperate climate as an annual plant. A moderate temperature of 20-26°C is highly favorable during crop period for obtaining higher yields. A low temperature (less than 15°C) in the seed bed prolongs the emergence of seedlings, and makes the seed more liable to attack by fungal diseases and insects. Castor, being a deep rooted crop, is fairly resistant to drought. A well distributed rainfall of 500-600 mm, during growing period will yield reasonably good yields. Castor can with stand long dry spells as well as heavy rains but is highly susceptible to water logged conditions

Soil

Castor crop can be grown on a wide range of soils, provided they are fairly deep and well drained. Heavy clays, with poor drainage, and marhsy soils are unsuitable. The highly suitable soils for castor are deep, moderately fertile, with slightly acidic conditions (pH 5.0 to 6.5), well drained, sandy loams. Excessively fertile soils are not desirable, as they favor excessive vegetative growth at the expense of seed yield. Castor does well in the soil which is not fit for valuable commercial and food crops. Though castor can tolerate a pH of 8.0 but at this pH, the soil structure and soil physical properties will become the important limiting factors for castor cultivation.

The Castor Plant is native to Africa and India but has naturalized across tropical and subtropical regions. The plant has incredible industrial value, low demand for water and prolific growth. As the seeds do not form a staple food source, the food for the people or food for fuel issue is argued to be not relevant. Also, the plant is able to grow in marginal lands. The productive plantation of Castor Plant needs to be scientifically managed for better growth and production. The growth and yield of the plant could be improved through effective management practices. The enhanced cultivation technology and improved inputs developed by CJP may provide about 5-7 k liters of biodiesel in conjunction with couple crop agriculture without displacing food crop and without utilizing prime food land in terms of sustainable farming techniques

Climate
Quality of the soil
Seed Rate
Spacing Plant Population
Transplanting
Irrigation
Weeding
Use of fertilizer
High-quality stock from superior Genotype
Use of pesticide
Inter-cropping
Harvesting

CJP carefully manages Castor Plant cultivation, with advanced crop practices suitable to local soil, weather, pest, and disease conditions to ensure the high amount of oil as we have developed enhanced technology with regards to:-

Planting materials & other inputs
Crop Management
Irrigation Management
Fertilizer Management
Pest & Diseases management
Harvesting Management
Post harvest management
And finally grading for further process

Selection of high yielding varieties with suitable marketable quality,Sowing in a proper season, in compliance with the latest agro techniques. Pest control Management of companion crops Adoption of post harvest management

CJP’s Researchers have developed standardized techniques for growing Castor Plant on large scale. CJP ensures Organic Castor plantation right from the land preparation, crop management to production of end product. CJP Castor oil Farms are under the vigilant supervision of agronomists, who make sure that the latest and best breed of Castor Plant, is being planted. However, we keep a close watch on the research results of Castor Plant breeding by studying thousands of Castor Plant variants, identifying and collecting the best sources of high-quality. This not only removed the uncertainty from the yield, it also provides multiple harvests within a few months. Accordingly, the enhanced variety of castor with regards to seed yield and oil yield and the enhanced castor Cultivation techniques may ensure proper and profitable production of the OIL CROP providing early fruition and flowering

CJP is happy to announce the market release of New Oil Crop “CASTOR(Ricinus Communis) Cultivation Technology” at an affordable Price

An Economic Evaluation of Castor Farming
Ricinus communis: A Potential Viable Biodiesel Feedstock.
The Ricinus communis biodiesel meets all the three criteria any environmentally sustainable fuel must meet. These are social, technical and commercial