Castor oil biodiesel and its blends as alternative fuel

Intensive production and commercialization of biodiesel from edible-grade sources have raised some critical environmental concerns. In order to mitigate these environmental consequences, alternative oilseeds are being investigated as biodiesel feedstocks. Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is one of the most promising non-edible oil crops, due to its high annual seed production and yield, and since it can be grown on marginal land and in semi-arid climate. click here to continue reading

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Organic Pest and Disease Control for Castor Crops in Nigeria.

Nigeria offers a diverse agro-ecological environment suitable for castor bean cultivation. However, like in other regions, pests and diseases can pose significant challenges. Here are some organic methods to manage these issues: Pest Control * Crop Rotation: Rotating castor with non-host crops can disrupt the life cycle of soil-borne pests. * Intercropping: Planting castor beans with crops like garlic or onions can repel certain pests. * Natural Predators: Encouraging beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps can help control pests. * Neem Oil: Extracted from the neem tree, this oil is a potent natural insecticide with fungicidal properties. * Insecticidal Soap: A solution of water and potassium hydroxide can be used to control soft-bodied insects like aphids. * Physical Removal: Manually removing pests like caterpillars can be effective for small-scale farmers. * Traps: Using pheromone or light traps can help ...

Some Agronomic practice for castor seeds farming 1

1. Preparation of the field Plough two-three times with country or mould board plough. 2. Application of Organic Manures Spread 12.5 t/ha of FYM or compost evenly on the main field before last ploughing and incorporate in to soil by working a country plough. Apply 30 kg sulphur/ ha through gypsum at the time of last ploughing for higher castor yield. NOTE: Do not leave FYM or compost exposed to sunlight as nutrients will be lost. 3. SEED RATE Adopt a seed rate of 10 kg/ha for varieties and 5 kg/ha for hybrid. 4. SPACING Adopt the following spacing. Rainfed situation Irrigated situation Varieties 90 cm x 60 cm 90 cm x 90 cm Hybrids 120 cm x 90 cm 150 cm x 120 cm In irrigated conditions, for clay soils wider spacing of 150 x 150 cm can also be adopted. For TMV 5 short duration variety 60 x 30 cm may be adopted. 5. APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS Apply NPK fertilizers basally as per soil te...

How much is castor seed per kg in Nigeria?

Choosing the right seeds for your Castor seeds farming project is always challenging in the midst of so many options available to the farmer. You must be aware of the fact that there are two basic types of Castor seeds for planting. There are the Perennial type and Annual type. The perennial types are harvested twice every 4 months and may last for several years after planting while the annual type is also harvested twice every 115-120 days but has a lifespan of just one year. The perennial types lasts longer but the yields may be heavily reduced when compared to the Annual type. Wild Castor seeds is the local wild seeds that you may find growing naturally at awkward places on soil not suitable for cropping. Hybrid Castor seeds Hybrids castor seeds are created by artificial pollination to develop new varieties. There are numerous variety of these hybrids in the market today. An important factor is that the different types are usually susceptible to weather climatic condition...

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