D1 Oils to Conduct Jatropha Cultivation Trials in Poor Soils in Indonesia

D1 Oils (D1), a UK-based biofuel technology company, will assess the cultivation performance of jatropha (a non-food based oilseed feedstock for biodiesel production) in “ultisol” soil types, through a series of field trials in Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The University of Bengkulu in South West Sumatra is the cooperating agency on the Indonesian side. “Ultisols” are generally acidic soils that are deficient in plant nutrients. Jatropha is usually a robust crop that can adapt to poor quality soils, but better oil yields for biodiesel production can be obtained with balanced addition of nutrients/fertilizers. Among the objectives of the field trials are to compare the growth and oil yields of Jatropha under different fertilizer treatments, and to obtain the optimum level of fertilizers that gives the best growth and oil yields. The Indonesian field trials form part of D1’s strategic global partnerships to gather information “to improve the cultivation of jatropha and alternative biofuel crops under different regions, climates and soil conditions”.

More information of ultisols and jatropha
http://soils.ag.uidaho.edu/soilorders/ultisols.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultisols
http://www.jatrophaworld.org/