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Initial Effects of Fertilization and Canopy Management on Flowering and Seed and Oil Yields of Jatropha curcas L. in Malawi

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Abstract

Appropriate canopy management, including planting density and pruning, and application of fertilizer may increase flowering success and seed and oil yields of Jatropha curcas L. Two field experiments were performed from 2009 to 2011 in Balaka, Malawi, to assess the effect of planting density and pruning regime and single fertilizer application (N, P, and K) on male and female flower number and seed and oil yields of J. curcas. Planting density influenced flower sex ratio and female flower number. Branch pruning treatments did not influence the flower sex ratio but reduced seed and final oil yield by 55 % in the following year. It is claimed that J. curcas can be grown on soils with low nutrient content, but this study revealed that yield was low for non-fertilized trees. We observed higher seed and oil yields at higher N application rates (up to 203 ± 42 % seed and 204 ± 45 % oil yield increase) compared with the non-fertilized control. The study suggests thatcurrently used heavy pruning practice is not recommended for J. curcas cultivation, although it needs further longer term investigation. Applying nitrogen fertilizer is effective in increasing yield.

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Acknowledgments

Aklilu Negussie Mekuria worked on this study with a University of Leuven IRO PhD grant. We thank QUINVITA NV for logistic support and the lab analyses. We would like to express our appreciation to Demeter farm, Malawi, for providing accommodation and material supports during our fieldwork. Lindsey Norgrove is supported by the SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation) through a Marie Heim-Vögtlin research fellowship in Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (grant PMPDP3_145502).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WeForest, Ogentroostlaan 15, B-3090, Overijse, Belgium

    Aklilu Negussie & Kiros Meles Hadgu

  2. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Institute for Environmental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), (CP 130/02), Av. F.D. Roosevelt 50, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Wouter M. J. Achten

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences (Biogeography), University of Basel, St Johanns Vorstadt 10, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland

    Lindsey Norgrove

  4. International Water Management Institute (IWMI), P. O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Wolde Mekuria

  5. Bayer CropScience NV, Innovation Center, Technologiepark 38, 9052, Ghent, Belgium

    Greta De Both

  6. Group Op de Beeck, Hagelberg 8, 2250, Olen, Gent Area, Belgium

    Ben Leroy

  7. Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Martin Hermy & Bart Muys

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  1. Aklilu Negussie
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Negussie, A., Achten, W.M.J., Norgrove, L. et al. Initial Effects of Fertilization and Canopy Management on Flowering and Seed and Oil Yields of Jatropha curcas L. in Malawi. Bioenerg. Res. 9, 1231–1240 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-016-9767-6

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