The Nature has given us many bounties ... some we understand of and some that are still concealed in the deep mysteries waiting to be revealed and waiting to enrich our lives. Among these bounties is Jatropha, the physic nut. It is among the most popular herbs and the term Jatropha is really a "genus" covering some 175 plants together. The name comes from Greek words for Iatros indicating doctor and trophe significance nutrition. So physic nuts or Jatropha, from the kingdom plantae is being studied extensively for it can be put to numerous uses in our daily lives.

To begin with, Jatropha is discovering excellent approval all over the world as a bio-doesel. The jatropha curcas seeds can be crushed to get the oil and this can be utilized as a bio-fuel. The residues can be used as fertilizer or as a feed for electricity generating plants. And this enables a sustainable development. Not simply the seeds, but the plant as a whole is well suited to fulfill the growing environmental issues. And why just the bio-diesel, it can be utilized as aviation fuel, and a host of other usages from other parts of the plants. The stems of this plant find usages in basket making, decorative functions, and tanning leather and getting dyes. The plant even discovers use in medications for cough, balm lotions, tooth pastes, cosmetics and is even utilized to produce excellent quality paper. The plant is, therefore, being put to nearly every thinkable use possible.

Though it puts the worry of having a sustainable source of energy at hands to a back burner, yet it requires to be supported and taken care of to permit a healthy plant growth. And it has been observed that the jatropha curcas plants tax our water resources. So, they are grown in locations with a lot of rainfall. This cuts the problem on the water resources, allows water conservation and human effort too. Because the irrigation investment is just one time expenditure of time, cash, effort and resources, it is being accepted as a sustainable alternative 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 simple words, it can be harmful and in extreme conditions, even deadly to consume neglected plant. The seeds need to be appropriately roasted and treated before being used in any consumable usage. Since it has ended up being possible to treat the toxic content, the plant usage has also been increasing. To meet the increasing demands, the plant has to be grown through various clinical methods like in-vitro and ex-vitro proliferation. This enables rapid development and for developing disease and insect resistant ranges of the plant. And a healthy crop will mean more fuel and better environment on the whole.

It remains in our hands to live in harmony with the nature, and it is our choices that figure out the result of the interaction we have with the nature. If we choose environment friendly items, we enrich our lives. So, picking Jatropha can be the primary step in improving the wealth called environment.