A jet fuel made from the jatropha plant was used to run a boeing 747 from Air New Zealand and considered it to be a milestone in commercial aviation industry.It comes as a great news for airline industry and also considered to be environmentally friendly.This was the first time fuel produced from a Jatropha plant was used to power a jet engine ,which was mixed with equal proportions of conventional jet fuel in the test run.
Another main advantage using Jatropha is that it needs very little water or fertilizer and can be grown anywhere-be it sandy,saline or infertile soils with maximum yield (Each seed produces 30 to 40 percent of its mass in oil, giving it a high per-acre yield),which is not the case for other biofuel crops like soya bean and corn.
“Jatropha” is a genus of approximately 175 succulent plants, shrubs and trees (some are deciduous, like Jatropha curcas), from the family Euphorbiaceae and commanly called as Physic Nut. Jatropha is native to Central America and also grown in many tropical and subtropical areas, including India, Africa, and North America.

Some more airlines will be soon testing this sustainable biodiesel and the results will prove very vital for the industry which is looking for a shift towards renewable, low-emissions fuels.With the ever increasing prices of crude oil ,a alternative in fuel from plants will offer a reliable and less expensive alternative.
Image Credit: Jurvetson / FlickR
2) jatropha Fruit: Hengcc / FlickR

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