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Non Edible Oil Seeds for Indian Climatic Conditions

In India, Edible oils are used for many non-edible uses, like soap manufacture and lighting. There are a number of non-edible oil seeds which can be produced or just collected and its oil can be used after extraction and filtration. These can be used for non-edible uses.


Ricinus Communis (Castor / Erand)

Castor was a neglected crop till recently as the oil and cake had few uses. The oil can be used as fuel and the cake as BioFertilizer. It is crop, and you can get oil and income in 4 to 5 months.
The seeds of castor bean have between 40-50% oil content, and the castor bean plant can grow as perennial in tropical climates (It is already produced in Gujrat and Andhra Pradesh). The plant can grow up to 10 m in height, and when seeds are fully ripe, they are often shot from their pods atop the plant. Castor bean can exhaust the soil quickly, and regular fertilization is needed for continuous production of seed. Under irrigation, yields from castor bean can exceed 1,000 kg per hectare of seed.

    Varieties and Yield:
  1. Aruna castor is short in height. It can give yield of 2.5 to 3 tons per hectare in 120 to 150 days.
  2. Girija verity can yield production of 3 to 3.75 tons per hectare in 150 to 180 days. In good soil, it can bear fruits a bit later. Hence you can get higher production. This verity can yield crop for a number of years.
  3. VI 9 verity can give yield of 2 to 2.5 tons per hectare in 110 to 120 days.
  4. Western 5 verity can give yield of 2 to 2.5 tons per hectare in rain fed land in 150 days.
  5. Western 6 or other hybrid verities are generally planted in irrigated lands. It is planted in square formation of 900 x 450 mm. 2 seeds are planted 30 to 50 mm deep. It can give yield of 3.75 to 5 tons per hectare in 120 to 150 days.
  6. Indo 9 verity can give yield of 3.5 to 5.5 tons per hectare in irrigated land in 120 to 150 days.
    Seeds Required:
  1. For Rain fed land, 5 to 7.5 kgs of seeds are required per hectare.
  2. For irrigated land 2.5 to 3.5 kgs of seeds is required per hectare.
    Formation of Planting:
  1. If irrigated land is not good, it is planted in square formation of 600 x 600 mm to 900 x 900 mm.
  2. If irrigated land is good, it is planted in square formation of 600 x 600 mm to 1,500 x 1,500 mm.
  3. In rain fed land, it is planted in square formation of 600 x 600 mm or 900 x 900 mm.

Pongamia Pinnata (Karanj)

It is native of coastal India, the pongam tree has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, fertilizer, shade, lubrication, minor construction, and illumination. Pongam trees are deciduous, sub-evergreen trees that may grow up to 25 m tall, thriving in areas from sea level up to 1200 m. Pongam trees prefer areas with a dry season lasting from 2 to 6 months.
Pongamia pinnata is one of the few nitrogen fixing trees (NFTS) to produce seeds containing 30-40% oil. It is often planted as an ornamental and shade tree but now-a-days it is considered as alternative source for Bio- Diesel. This species is commonly called pongam, karanja.
Native to humid and subtropical environments, pongam thrives in areas having an annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 2500 mm. in its natural habitat, the maximum temperature ranges from 27 to 38oC and the minimum 1 to16oC. Mature trees can withstand water logging and slight frost. This species grows to elevations of 1200 m, but in the Himalayan foothills is not found above 600 m.
Pongam can grow on most soil types ranging from stony to sandy to clay, including Verticals. It does not do well on dry sands. It is highly tolerant of salinity. It is common along waterways or seashores, with its roots in fresh or salt water. Highest growth rates are observed on well drained soils with assured moisture. Natural reproduction is profuse by seed and common by root suckers.
Most of these are found along highways, and collection of these seeds is a big business.


Madhuca indica (Mahua)

It is a large deciduous tree, found in Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa, in South Indian forests and in Sri Lanka. The 2.5 to 5 cm long, orange brown pipe flesh berry has 1 to 4 shining seeds. Drying and decortification yields kernel, which is 70% of total weight. The yield of seeds varies from 5 to 200 kgs, depending on size and age of tree. The tree starts bearing trees after 10 years, and it bears seeds up to 60 years. At this age, the yield is 10 times more than the yield at the age of 10 years. Recovery of kernel is a village level activity, where there is lack of proper facilities for drying and preservation. Kernel contains 50% oil. The quality of expelled oil, largely depends on storage conditions of kernel, which are susceptible to attacks by fungus and insects.


Azadirachta indica (Neem)

The neem tree is an evergreen tree of the mahogany family that is native to India and Burma. It is found in tropical and subtropical climates, withstanding extremely dry conditions, but also tolerating sub-humid conditions. Neem trees are fast-growing and can grow up to 35 m tall, and although evergreen, they will lose their leaves in times of severe drought. They have wide spreading branches creating a scenic, round to oval crown that sits upon a relatively short trunk. One tree can produce millions of flowers, and in one flowering cycle, a mature tree may produce many thousands of seeds. Seeds are small and round to oval in shape, with oil content ranging from 20-33%, depending on the variety.
The Neem has adapted to a wide range of climates. It thrives well in hot weather, where the maximum shade temperature is as high as 49oC and tolerates cold upto 0oC on altitudes upto 1500 m.
The Neem grows on almost all types of soils including clay, saline and alkaline soils, with pH upto 8.5, but does well on black cotton soil and deep, well-drained soil with good sub-soil water. Neem tree needs little water and plenty of sunlight. The tree grows naturally in areas where the rainfall is in the range of 450 to 1200 mm. A Neem tree normally begins to bear fruit between 3 and 5 years and becomes fully productive in 10 years. A mature tree produce 30 - 50 kg. fruit every year. Neem tree has a productive life span of 150 - 200 years.


Simarouba (Laxmitaru)

Simarouba Glauca, is an edible oil seed bearing tree, which is well suited for warm, humid, tropical regions. Its cultivation depends on rainfall distribution, water holding capacity of the soil and sub-soil moisture. It is suited for temperature range of 10 to 40oC. the tree is now found in different regions of India. It can be grown on waste tracts of marginal, fallow lands of Southern India.
The tree is native to central and North America. It can grow at elevations from sea level to 1,000 meters. It grows 40 to 50 feet tall and has a span of 25 to 30 feet. It is a tropical tree and rainfall should be at least 400 mm. The depth of the soil should be at least 1 meter. pH of soil should be from 5.5 to 8. It can grow in any type of soil which are unsuitable for cultivation of other crops. The average per hectare yield of Simarouba is : Seed 4 tons, Oil 2.6 tons, cake 1.4 tons. It bears yellow flowers, and oval elongated purple colored fleshy fruits.


Rice Bran Oil

Rice (Oryza Sativa Linn) bran is a byproduct, obtained from outer layers of the brown (husked) rice kernel during milling of rice to produce polished rice. Whole rice grain comprises (on dry basis) 70 to 72% endosperm, 20% hull, 7 to 8.5% bran, and 2 to 3% embryo. Rice bran comprises pericarp, tegmen (layer covering endosperm), aleurone and sub-aleurone. The rice bran contains 15 to 23% oil, which is one of the most nutritious oils because, because of its favourable fatty acid composition. Lipase enzyme in rice bran adversely affects the storage quality and the subsequent industrial use of bran. The enzyme becomes active right after milling and the rate of free fatty acids formation is as high as 5 to 7% per day depending on environmental conditions. It can go up to 70% after storage of one month.


Moringa oleifera (Ben-oil tree)

The Ben-oil tree is believed to be native to India, Arabia, and possibly even across Africa and the Caribbean. It has been used by tropical societies for centuries as folk remedies, food, living fences, cleaning and disinfecting, lubrication, and cosmetics. The trees are short and slender, rarely growing above 10 m in height, and the seeds are produced in long pods containing about 20 seeds within the pith. The Ben-oil tree is found in subtropical to tropical dry to moist climates, tolerating rainfall from 0.5 to 4 m annually with temperatures ranging from 19 to 28oC. These trees are said to tolerate drought, sandy soils, bacteria, and fungi.
The seeds contain 35-40% nondrying oil, and the remaining seed cake after extraction is reported to be very high in crude protein (nearly 60%), making it a desirable source of animal fodder.