Correlation studies in seed traits, moisture and oil content and effect of hormones on flowering of Jatropha curcas L.

Rumi Kotoky, Anulekha Rabha, Animesh Gogoi, Subhan Chandra Nath and Siddhartha Proteem Saikia

Abstract
Jatropha curcas L. is an oil-bearing species with multiple uses and considerable potential as a bioenergy crop. The present investigation has been undertaken to assess the variability in seed traits, moisture percentage and oil content of 25 accessions of J. curcas collected from different agroclimatic zones of North-East India. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in seed size, 100 seed weight and oil content among the accessions. The maximum seed weight was recorded in J22 collected from Baramura, Tripura and the minimum in J13 collected from Roing, Arunachal Pradesh. Oil variability ranged from 25% (J20, collected from Mokochung, Nagaland) to 36% (J18, collected from Mamit, Mizoram). The moisture percentage in the sun dried seeds varied from 6.06% (J5, collected from Lambding, Assam) to 11.32% (J6, collected from Lakhimpur, Assam). When the oil percentage of seeds is correlated with the sun dried seed moisture percentage and 100 seed weight, it has been found that the oil yield is negatively correlated with the seed moisture. On the other hand the seed weight has strong positive correlation with the oil yield. The effect of hormones on growth and yield potentiality of J. curcas was also studied. The hormonal solutions of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) in 150, 200, 250 and 500 ppm concentrations were used for the treatments while water was used as control. Data on flowering was recorded before and after treatment of hormones. The male: female ratio was very less (minimum 2:0 in case of J9, and maximum 15:2 in case of J11) in each branch but after hormonal treatment, the number of female flowers were found more in all the accessions. IBA showed the maximum number of female flowers followed by IAA and NAA. Maximum number of female flowers was recorded in each branch of J2 followed by J1 when treated with 250 ppm of IBA.

Keywords
Jatropha, Moisture percentage, Oil percentage, Hormone, Flowering, Seed.

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