D1 Oils to trial jatropha in Indonesia

D1 Oils (D1), the biofuels technology company, is to carry out trials in Indonesia to assess the cultivation potential of Jatropha curcas, D1’s principal biodiesel crop, in poor soil conditions on the island of Sumatra. The trials will be carried out in cooperation with the University of Bengkulu (UNIB) in South West Sumatra, and will test the performance of jatropha in ultisol soil types, which are common in Indonesia. These acidic soils, which are deficient in plant nutrients, cannot generally be used for sedentary agriculture without the aid of lime and other fertilizers and are easily exhausted. The trials with UNIB will compare growth and yield of jatropha curcas under different schemes of fertilizer application to determine the optimum level of fertilizers for the best plant growth and yield. We expect Indonesia to be a key area for jatropha curcas cultivation, particularly in Sumatra and parts of Java where agricultural production is limited by low levels of soil nutrients, said Eko Suprojono, Head of the Department of Agriculture Production of UNIB (May 14/15, 2008)