Ebook: Jatropha, Challenges for a New Energy Crop: Volume 2: Genetic Improvement and Biotechnology

Jatropha curcas or Physic Nut is a small tree (bush plant) that produces fruits under tropical climate. The fruits contained seed that are ~40% oil rich. This oil is excellent for biodiesel. The bush is a now new coming crop because it may cope with harsh environmental conditions such as semi-aridity and poor land. It is considered as one alternative for climate mitigation that does not compete with arable land normally dedicated to food crop and can be used to regain degraded land or fight desertification. This bush has been considered seriously by the international community only recently (~2006-2008), but worldwide scientists did an outstanding job to drawn Jatropha out of its semi-wild status and bring it on the industrial scene. Problems remains, but we have now a comprehensive picture of this crop and almost every technological challenged were addressed. From now, the job will have to concentrate on breeding in order to domesticate this species. Therefore, it is the right time to sum up worldwide contributions in a comprehensive book with a breeding looking to improve the chance of this plant to stabilize as a crop and to fulfil with the expectations that humans invested in it. A book with this perspective will help international community to give a step on. The book will be a broad and comprehensive look on Jatropha until the details since the book is being contributed by international experts worldwide that have already published works in the international press of Science. Illustrations, tables geographic maps, GPS location, etc are added by each contributors according to the feeling they have concerning what they think their contribution should be.

Jatropha, Challenges for a New Energy Crop –Volume 2 aims to report on the state of the art of scientific investigations that were made during the past ten years on the new crop Jatropha curcas. The progresses obtained on the knowledge of this abstemious, semi-wild species are already impressive and were mainly achieved in just a decade (2001-2011). This knowledge extends from basic Jatropha physiology and biological reproduction to the basic agronomic practices and systems for its productive management, but also the complete set of biotechnological tools, such as in vitro culture, genetic transformation, genome sequencing, genetic maps, and marker-assisted selection that are necessary for its selective breeding. These scientific and technological achievements pave the way for the future technological management and domestication of Jatrophaas an industrial oilseed crop able to contribute to the feeding of the transport system.

Jatropha, Challenges for a New Energy Crop –Volume 2 aims to report on the state of the art of scientific investigations that were made during the past ten years on the new crop Jatropha curcas. The progresses obtained on the knowledge of this abstemious, semi-wild species are already impressive and were mainly achieved in just a decade (2001-2011). This knowledge extends from basic Jatropha physiology and biological reproduction to the basic agronomic practices and systems for its productive management, but also the complete set of biotechnological tools, such as in vitro culture, genetic transformation, genome sequencing, genetic maps, and marker-assisted selection that are necessary for its selective breeding. These scientific and technological achievements pave the way for the future technological management and domestication of Jatrophaas an industrial oilseed crop able to contribute to the feeding of the transport system.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Wood Anatomy of Indian Jatrophas....Pages 3-10
Breeding System and Pollination in Jatropha curcas: An Overview....Pages 11-25
Pollen of Jatropha L. Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Considerations....Pages 27-43
Embryology of Jatropha: A Review....Pages 45-74
Structure and Development of Fruit and Seed of Jatropha gossypiifolia L.....Pages 75-86
Fruit, Seed and Seedling Characters in Jatropha L.....Pages 87-94
Genetic Improvement in Jatropha curcas Through Selection and Breeding....Pages 95-118
Front Matter....Pages 119-133
Origin, Domestication, Distribution and Diversity of Jatropha curcas L.....Pages 135-135
Systematics of Indian Jatrophas....Pages 137-151
Economic and Medicinal Importance of Jatrophas....Pages 153-186
Genetic Diversity of Jatropha curcas in Southern Mexico....Pages 187-217
Relationship of the Genetic Diversity of Jatropha curcas in Brazil and Worldwide....Pages 219-250
Towards the Domestication of Jatropha: The Integration of Sciences....Pages 251-262
Karyology and Genomics of Jatropha: Current Status and Future Prospects....Pages 263-299
Studies on Jatropha curcas L. and Its Improvement Through Induced Mutagenesis....Pages 301-320
The Use of EcoTILLING for the Genetic Improvement of Jatropha curcas L.....Pages 321-334
Comparative Genomics in Euphorbiaceae....Pages 335-349
Proteomic Perspectives on Understanding and Improving Jatropha curcas L.....Pages 351-374
Front Matter....Pages 375-391
Front Matter....Pages 393-393
Genetic Affinities of Jatropha with Other Euphorbiaceous Taxa....Pages 395-422
Conservation Strategies and Management of Jatropha Germplasm....Pages 393-393
Front Matter....Pages 423-443
Large Scale Micropropagation of Jatropha curcas for Quality Germplasm....Pages 445-455
Tissue Culture Studies of Jatropha Species: A Review....Pages 457-478
Genetic Transformation of Jatropha curcas: Current Status and Future Prospects....Pages 479-500
Improvement of J. curcas Oil by Genetic Transformation....Pages 501-501
Genome Structure of Jatropha curcas L.....Pages 503-511
Back Matter....Pages 513-523
....Pages 525-534