The Mother Nature has actually provided us many bounties ... some we understand of and some that are still concealed in the deep secrets waiting to be revealed and waiting to improve our lives. One of these bounties is Jatropha, the physic nut. It is among the most popular herbs and the term Jatropha is actually a "genus" covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros meaning doctor and trophe meaning nutrition. So physic nuts or jatropha curcas, from the kingdom plantae is being studied widely for it can be put to lots of uses in our every day lives.

To begin with, Jatropha is discovering excellent approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The Jatropha seeds can be squashed to obtain the oil and this can be utilized as a bio-fuel. The residues can be used as fertilizer or as a feed for electrical power creating plants. And this allows for a sustainable development. Not just the seeds, but the plant as a whole is well suited to fulfill the growing ecological issues. And why just the bio-diesel, it can be used as air travel fuel, vehicle fuel and a host of other uses from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant find uses in basket making, decorative functions, and tanning leather and acquiring dyes. The plant even discovers usage in medications for cough, balm ointments, toothpastes, cosmetics and is even used to produce good quality paper. The plant is, for that reason, being put to practically every thinkable use possible.

Though it puts the concern of having a sustainable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it needs to be supported and taken care of to allow for a healthy plant growth. And it has been observed that the jatropha curcas plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in areas with lots of rains. This cuts the problem on the water resources, permits water conservation and human effort too. Because the irrigation investment is just one time of time, cash, effort and resources, it is being accepted as a sustainable choice worldwide.

But it is not all gift - goodie about the plant. The jatropha curcas plant has poisonous material. It has lectin, saponin, phorbol, toxalbumin curcin and is a trypsin inhibitor. In basic words, it can be damaging and in severe conditions, even fatal to take in unattended plant. The seeds have to be correctly roasted and dealt with before being used in any consumable use. Since it has become feasible to treat the toxic material, the plant usage has also been increasing. To meet the increasing needs, the plant needs to be grown through numerous scientific approaches like in-vitro and ex-vitro proliferation. This permits quick development and for establishing disease and insect resistant varieties of the plant. And a healthy crop will suggest more fuel and better environment on the whole.

It remains in our hands to live in harmony with the nature, and it is our options that identify the result of the interaction we have with the nature. If we select environment friendly products, we enrich our lives. So, choosing Jatropha can be the initial step in enhancing the wealth called environment.