Project Abstract

<p>&nbsp;              <b>ABSTRACT&nbsp;</b></p><p>Since the surge of interest in renewable energy alternatives to liquid fossil fuels, attention has been paid to the possibility of growing Jatropha curcas, for the purpose of producing biofuel. The seed of Jatropha curcas contains 30% oil that can be used in standard diesel engines. Jatropha biodiesel being a profitable alternative, it has attracted many multinational companies into Ghana with the quest of establishing jatropha plantations. In line with the Bioenergy Policy of Ghana, the government is collaborating with the private sector to develop about one million hectares of jatropha plantation throughout the country. The need therefore arises as to how to improve the yield of jatropha through agronomic techniques such as fertilization to produce enough oil to contribute to the energy requirements of the nation. Few studies on its utilization have proven that jatropha bio-waste (cake) has the potential as a fertilizer. This study was therefore carried out at the Agricultural Research Station at Awomaso, under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana, to investigate the effect of different levels of jatropha cake and their combinations with NPK 151515 on the growth and yield of Jatropha curcas plants. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates was used and twelve treatments applied. Results of a one year study showed a significant (P &lt; 0.05) vegetative growth (number of leaves, stem height, stem diameter and number of branches) response of Jatropha curcas to all the fertilized treatments except lower levels of NPK (T1= 250 Kg/ha). Early growth responses were observed in plants that received either NPK only or their combinations with jatropha cake. Later, plants that received lower levels of NPK showed similar vegetative growth as controls while their combinations with jatropha cake still performed better. Plants that received jatropha cake only responded late but recorded similar stem heights, stem diameters and number of branches as those that received NPK fertilizers and their combinations with jatropha cake. The combination of both organic and inorganic amendments ensured increased vegetative growth at all stages of the plant’s life. Also early flowering as well as fruiting occurred in all fertilized plants but did not translate into higher seed yield. The results of the effects of the various treatments and the plants on the soil’s physical and chemical properties showed no significant differences (p&gt;0.05) between any of the treatments in soil characteristics after two years. When compared to the initial soil properties however, all the treatments had significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) pH values than the initial. The results reported in this work indicate that fertilizer application can induce higher and faster vegetative growth but not seed yields in the first year of the plant’s establishment. Also fertilization does not affect the soil’s physical and chemical properties. However, the jatropha plant can reduce soil acidity after two years of establishment. <br></p>

Project Overview

<p> <b>1.0 INTRODUCTION&nbsp;</b></p><p><b>1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY</b></p><p>The term global climate change, which was the theme of the Kyoto Protocol signed in 1998 but came into effect in 2005, refers to a lasting statistically significant change in the climate and weather pattern observed on a global scale (Fletcher, 2005). The Kyoto protocol aimed at committing industrialized nations to specified, legally binding, reductions in emissions of six “greenhouse” gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere through respiration by plants and animals as well as the combustion of fossil fuels. High concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere accumulate to form a layer or blanket which prevents the sun’s energy from leaving the earth’s atmosphere after reflection from the surface of the earth. The trapped solar energy causes an increase in the earth’s atmospheric temperature, hence making the earth’s climate hotter (Global warming). The need to ameliorate recent increase in global climate change caused by anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions has driven the world’s attention to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, particularly crude oil (Brittaine and Lutaladio, 2010). To achieve this goal of reduced CO2 emissions, it has become imperative to look for more environmentally friendly sources of energy. Bio-energy, including bio-fuels, present a very significant alternative to fossil fuels. Bio-energy is a renewable non-fossil energy, obtained from the combustion of biomass, most often in the form of fuelwood, biogas or liquid biofuel. Liquid bio-fuels can be bio-ethanol, biodiesel or straight vegetable oil (Brittaine and Lutaladio, 2010).&nbsp;</p><p>Liquid bio-fuels can be used as fuel for vehicle engines, to generate electricity, and also as a fuel for domestic purposes such as cooking and lighting. Replacing fossil fuels with fuel from non-food energy crops will therefore reduce the net addition of CO2 to the atmosphere. In addition to the net reduction in CO2 emissions, particulates of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxides which are air pollutants are produced in fewer quantities in biodiesels than fossil diesel (Brittaine and Lutaladio, 2010). The use of bio-diesel has received warm acceptance across the world especially in countries like USA, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and production is expected to increase over time. For instance, Indonesia is projected to increase biodiesel production from palm oil from 600 million litres in 2007 to 3 billion litres by 2017, which will make it the world’s largest producer of palm oil and the second largest producer of biodiesel (Brittaine and Lutaladio, 2010). A 2008 analysis by the Energy Information Administration found that nearly half of the increase in world biofuel production between now and 2030 will come from the USA (Brittaine and Lutaladio, 2010). Crops that have been used for bio-energy production include soyabeans, rapeseed, oil palm, and recently Jatropha curcas. Since the surge of interest in renewable energy alternatives to liquid fossil fuels, attention has been paid to the possibility of growing Jatropha curcas, for the purpose of producing biofuel. The seed of Jatropha curcas contains 30% oil that can be used in standard diesel engines and one hectare of the crop can give about 1.6 tonnes of oil under average soil conditions (Gaderkar, 2006).&nbsp;</p><p>The potential of Jatropha curcas to survive on marginal lands offers it a great competitive ability over other bio-energy crops. In addition to its other important roles such as live fencing, improvement of water infiltration, and soil erosion control, is the 3 potential of the jatropha waste after oil extraction to be used as a fertilizer. Chemical analysis of jatropha cake by Ali et al. (2010) indicated that the cake has 5.73% nitrogen, and 1.5% phosphorus. In recent times, the growth of Jatropha curcas has become widespread across Africa and Asia. Ghana is projected to be one of the leading producers of jatropha in Africa by 2015. The area planted with jatropha is projected to grow to 4.72 million ha by 2010 and 12.8 million ha by 2011 (Gexsi, 2008). Within the last few years, multinational companies such as Agroils of Italy, Galten from Israel, Scanfuels from Norway and others from Brazil and China have trooped into Ghana requiring huge plots of land to establish jatropha plantations. There is therefore the need to explore areas for improving the nutrition of jatropha to improve and sustain high yields.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION&nbsp;</b></p><p>The current global crisis on energy production and the urgency to reduce CO2 emissions call for identification of other sources of energy such as bio-energy. Jatropha curcas being a profitable alternative, has attracted many multinational companies into Ghana with the quest of establishing jatropha plantations. The need therefore arises as to how to improve the yield of jatropha to produce enough oil to contribute to the energy requirements of the nation. Jatropha is often described as having a low nutrient requirement because it is adapted to growing in poor soils. Growing a productive crop however requires agronomic techniques such as fertilization. Equally, high levels of fertilizer and excessive irrigation can induce increased biomass production at the expense of seed yield (Brady and Weil, 2008). 4 Current work being done on jatropha in Ghana has centered on germplasm evaluation and there is insufficient data on jatropha responses to fertilizer under different growing conditions. Application of inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers has been reported to increase nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions which have consequences for global warming. There is therefore the need to explore the use of organic fertilizers either alone or in combination with inorganic amendments which will reduce considerably, the rate of use of inorganic amendments. Few studies on its utilization have proven that jatropha bio-waste has potential as a fertilizer or for biogas production (Staubmann et al., 1997).&nbsp;</p><p>Agarwal et al. (2007), adds that it can be used as manure, as feedstock for biogas production and as animal feed. Envis (2004) also reported that jatropha oil cake as an organic fertilizer is superior to cow-dung manure and is in great demand by agriculturists. This study therefore aims at exploring the potential of jatropha cake and its combination with inorganic fertilizer on the growth and yield of Jatropha curcas.</p><p><b>&nbsp;1.3 HYPOTHESES&nbsp;</b></p><p>ï‚· Fertilizer application increases the growth and yield of Jatropha curcas.&nbsp;</p><p>ï‚· Combinations of jatropha cake and NPK increase growth and yield of Jatropha curcas plants than either jatropha cake or NPK alone.&nbsp;</p><p>ï‚· Jatropha de-oiled cake can increase the fertility of the soil.&nbsp;</p><p>ï‚· Jatropha curcas plants can maintain soil physical and chemical properties after two years of establishment.&nbsp;</p><p>To test these hypotheses, the following objectives below were set.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.4 OBJECTIVES&nbsp;</b></p><p>ï‚· To determine the effect of inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15: 15: 15), jatropha de-oiled cake and their combinations on the growth, fruit and seed yield of Jatropha curcas.&nbsp;</p><p>ï‚· To determine the effect of Jatropha curcas and its cake on soil physical and chemical properties.&nbsp;</p><p>It was hoped that the achievement of the above objectives would contribute significantly to the country’s biodiesel need by providing farmers and companies with key knowledge on the potential of jatropha cake to boost production of Jatropha curcas.&nbsp;</p><p>Furthermore, this knowledge will potentially assist the government in the formulation and implementation of policies with regards to bio-energy production. <br></p>