• Disclaimer and reservation
• Jatropha Curcas general data
• Generative propagation
• Vegetative propagation
• Intercropping
• Spacing / density
• Mowing
• Survival rate and stress conditions
• Pruning, clipping, cutting and car
• Flower and Fruit bearing
• Pollination
• Pest and diseases
• Fertilizing
• Fruit Harvesting
• Jatropha Bio-mass purposes
• Manure purposes
• Other purposes
• Oil expelling and purification process

Pest and diseases

Jatropha currently seems to have little difficulty with diseases and pests. There might be a number of reasons for this, such as its inherent toxicity for many species, its variation in genetic material and its spread occurrence in the landscape. However, in monoculture some problems might pop up. The various growth phases of the Jatropha plant; from seeds, kernel, full-grown plant, and parts of the plant; seed, root, stalk, leaf, flower, fruit, and seeds when stored in a warehouse can be infected by pests. Types of pest that may infect the plant can be classified into two groups; young-plant pests and old-plant pests.

1. Alternaria Pocks (Alternaria ricini)

It is one of the most dangerous diseases for Jatropha. During some months when humidity rates reach high levels, toadstools grow rapidly in the capsules of the fruit and it makes the fruit darker. Some reports from India say that the attack rate can reach up to 70% which affects seed production and oil contents significantly.

2. Botrytis Decay

The early symptoms are appearing by showing black spots at the flowers. The disease which is caused by Botrytis ricini will be a very serious problem when the rain season is coming at the same time as the fruit capsule forming phase. The suitable condition for this disease to spread is a cool temperature with rains during the nights. The infected flower will be rotten and covered with grey toadstools. Pathogen spread off the flower and fruit capsule.

3. Cercospora Pocks

This disease is caused by the Cercospora rinicella. The symptoms are that the leafs are getting black and brown pocks with light-green rings around the pocks. When pocks become wider, the centers of the pocks get lighter.

4. Fusarium Wilt

The disease is caused by the Fusarium oxysporum. If the seeds have been attacked then the leafs will fade, get wither and die away.

5. Rust

The rust disease looks like rust and be assessed at the underside of the leaves. The rust noticed as yellow spots on the surface. A significant attack will dry the leafs.

6. Seed Pocks

This may happen during the rain season. The damage may reach 30 to 40% of the crop and usually occurred at young plants which are just moved to an insufficiently irrigated plantation.

7. Xanthomonas Pocks

The disease is caused by the Xanthomonas ricinicola, which attacks cotyledons and leafs. The symptoms are indicated by round and asymmetric dark brown pocks. Optimum temperature for propagating this bacterium is 31ºC.