Jatropha curcas L.: A crucified plant waiting for resurgence

Jatropha curcas L. (hereinafter Jatropha) is often considered as a magical biodiesel plant with multitude of environmental benefits and therefore, the plantation of Jatropha has been done on a global scale without crop improvement, proper field validation, standardization of agronomic practices and high quality certified planting materials. Importantly, the seed yield and oil content of the species were not validated before the field introduction. Moreover, farmers are not aware of the biology and ecology of Jatropha and even not aware of the pest incidence and common diseases in Jatropha. As a result, there was a total mismatch between the expectations as well as the real performance of this species under field condition. Therefore, the present article is aimed to critically analyze the actual reasons behind the failure of Jatropha in field conditions and recommend suitable strategies for the future utilization of this plant for sustainable biofuel program.