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The place of plantation should not accumulate water. Excess water can cause adverse effects on Jatropha plants. It can also be planted on the borders of the field, thus acting as a fence to generate additional revenue.
Digging the Pit
The pit should adhere to the following dimensions
Length 1 ft., Width 1 ft. & Depth 1 ft.
The distance between two pits should be minimum 2 meters (6 ft.) and the distance between two rows of plants should also be minimum 2 meters. The digging of pits should be done during the months of March and April.
While planting on the borders of the field, the distance between two plants should be a minimum 1 meter. Filling of Pits
Pits dug in the month of March-April should be filled in the end of May. To fill the pit use 3 parts of the mud of the plantation area, 3 parts black/productive mud and 3 parts dung manure and mix them thoroughly. This mud-manure mixture should then be treated with one spoon of Chloropyrifos for prevention against termites. The pit should be filled half of its depth with this mixture. Plantation
The process of plantation should start with the arrival of rains during the first or second week of June. Remove the Poly-bag of the plant and place it in the half filled pit. Please take due care that the mud-manure mixture comes out of the pit while filling the pit. Emergency Irrigation
During the first year of Plantation Jatropha, normal care is required for the proper development of the plant. Hence water the plant whenever required so that the plant and leaves don’t burn out. Protection from pests/insects/diseases
Protecting the plant against pests, insects or diseases is extremely important during the first year. In case of any outbreak of disease or pest, spray pesticides like Nuvacron or Indosulphon along with Copper Sulphide. Pruning
In order to limit the height of the Jatropha Plant and obtain maximum seeds, the process of pruning has to be carried out every winter. During the first year the stem of the plant should be severed with a razor sharp blade at the height of 1.5 feet. Following this the plant will grow many branches which should be cut next year during January leaving one third parts intact.
As mentioned, after pruning, the plant would grow numerous branches. Maintaining the height of the plant, try to give it an umbrella shape so that it provides maximum seeds which are easy to collect. Co-Existing Crops
Owing to the fact that the plantation area is properly levelled along with productive mud, the empty space between the rows of Jatropha plants could be used to plant crops like Onion, Chilly and other Medicinal/Perfume plants. During the later years it could be used for crops like turmeric and ginger.
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