Biofuel analysis predicts likely yield

Analysis of the biofuel Jatropha has predicted the likely yield that might be achieved using the crop, which is commonly grown as a source of oil but is toxic if ingested.

The study, published in the current issue of Global Change Biology Bioenergy, considers the yield that the biofuel might provide both in the current climate and in future models.

Results are varied, when the typical model of climate change is taken into account, as some areas will see less rainfall while others will see less frost.

For these regions, output from the crop is predicted to fall and rise respectively.

However, across all areas it seems that to yield significant biofuel potential, the crop must be exposed to higher levels of precipitation than were previously anticipated.

The article also concedes that, although Jatropha can be found in a variety of different climatic conditions, some of these - particularly tropical areas - do not easily lend themselves to intensive crop-growing.