The Nature has offered us many bounties ... some we understand of and some that are still hidden in the deep secrets waiting to be exposed and waiting to improve our lives. Among these bounties is jatropha curcas, the physic nut. It is one of the most popular herbs and the term Jatropha is in fact a "genus" covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros implying physician and trophe meaning nutrition. So physic nuts or Jatropha, from the kingdom plantae is being studied widely for it can be put to lots of uses in our every day lives.

To begin with, jatropha curcas is finding excellent approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The jatropha curcas seeds can be squashed to obtain the oil and this can be used as a bio-fuel. The residues can be utilized as fertilizer or as a feed for electrical energy creating plants. And this permits a sustainable development. Not just the seeds, however the plant as a whole is well suited to meet the growing environmental issues. And why just the bio-diesel, it can be utilized as aviation fuel, auto fuel and a host of other uses from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant discover usages in basket making, decorative purposes, and tanning leather and obtaining dyes. The plant even finds usage in medicines for cough, balm lotions, toothpastes, cosmetics and is even used to produce excellent quality paper. The plant is, for that reason, being put to almost every credible use possible.

Though it puts the concern of having a sustainable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it needs to be supported and cared for to enable a healthy plant growth. And it has actually been observed that the jatropha curcas plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in locations with plenty of . This cuts the burden on the water resources, permits water conservation and human effort too. Because the watering investment is just one time cost of time, money, effort and resources, it is being accepted as a sustainable choice worldwide.

But it is not all gift - goodie about the plant. The Jatropha plant has toxic material. It has lectin, saponin, phorbol, toxalbumin curcin and is a trypsin inhibitor. In simple words, it can be harmful and in severe conditions, even deadly to consume without treatment plant. The seeds have to be properly roasted and treated before being used in any consumable use. Since it has actually become practical to treat the toxic content, the plant consumption has actually also been increasing. To meet the increasing needs, the plant has to be grown through different clinical methods like in-vitro and ex-vitro propagation. This enables for quick development and for establishing disease and insect resistant varieties of the plant. And a healthy crop will mean more fuel and better environment on the whole.

It remains in our hands to reside in consistency with the nature, and it is our choices that identify the outcome of the interaction we have with the nature. If we choose environment friendly products, we enhance our lives. So, choosing Jatropha can be the primary step in enhancing the wealth called environment.