Energy

BIODIVERSITY OF INDIAN DESERT

Amit Kotia and Ashwani Kumar
Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur – 302004 INDIA

ABSTRACT

Climbers and twinners:
Cocculus pendulus (Forst.) Diels.; Celastrus paniculata Willd.; Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers.; Blastania fimbristipula (Fensl.) Kotschy et Peyr.; Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrad.(Figure 8); Cucumis callosus (Rottl.) Cogn.; Mukia maderaspatana (Linn.) M. Roem.; Pergularia daemia (Forsk.) Chiov.; Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br.; Ipomoea pes-tigridis Linn.

Figure 8: Citrullus colosynthis (Linn.) Schrad.

G. Grasses :

United Nations is playing key role in planning and development of bio-energy programmes at the global level.
FAO’s bioenergy programme bases its operations on the following concepts:

a) bioenergy can stimulate diversification of agricultural and forestry activities; for
example, through establishment of energy plantations with trees and crops;
b) biofuels can provide locally the necessary energy to improve agriculture and forestry
productivity; and
c) bioenergy can attract investments to rural areas where most of the biofuels are
produced.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND BIOFUELS PRODUCTION: PROBLEMS AND PROSECTS
ASHWANI KUMAR
Energy plantation Demonstration Project Centre,
Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004
msku32@yahoo.com. Phone 0141 2654100.

Abstract

• Biofuels offer clear advantages in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, but do they perform better when we look at all the environmental impacts from a life cycle perspective? To compare the environmental impacts and externalities of biodiesel and fossil diesel, these fuels and their impacts are assessed in a detailed way, combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools and externality assessment tools.

Discussion on R&D needs in Jatropha and need or possibility for an EU role.
First Hans-Joerg.Lutzeyer lined out the reasons why the EU might be interested to link or to support
R&D activities in Jatropha. Next, a round was made in which participants could comment. The
participants were requested to mention their views on networking and R&D topics.
Diego Breviarion noted that from preliminary R&D, it is found that the genetic variation of Jatropha is not
so wide, however the phenotypes are quite different in character. He suggested that gene expression
studies are needed. Since this phenomena is unusual, the EU can be challenged to work on this.
A number of participants noted that not only the detoxification of Jatropha cake is an important issue to

1. The Jatropha plant;
2. The Jatropha activities (1987 – 2007) of Mr. Henning;
3. High yielding plants;
4. Ecology Aspects;
5. Economic Aspects;
The objective of the presentation of Mr. Henning, besides introducing the plant and worldwide Jatropha
activities, was to show how the economic feasibility depends on the selection of high yielding plants for
Jatropha plantations.
It is very clear, that plants from seeds have a large biological variation and that it is necessary to select
high yielding plants and to multiply them vegetatively (by
cuttings) to get an economic feasible production rate of
fruits per ha. It is also important to consider an optimum
spacing of plants, depending on water and nutrient
availability and operational aspects, like planting at a

The Ecuadorian government has devised a novel, albeit idealistic, plan to prevent gas and oil development in the Yasuní National Park in hopes of protecting biodiversity and combating climate change. The proposal, known as the Yasuní-ITT Initiative, would leave untouched nearly
one billion barrels of oil that lie beneath the national Park in Ecuador.

Arid and semi-arid regions :

Arid and semi arid lands occupy one third of the earth's surface. Indian arid zone occupies an area of about 0.3 million sq. km. 90 percent of which about 2,70,000 sq. km.) is confined to north west Indian covering most of Western Rajasthan, part of Gujrat and small portions of Punjab and Haryana. India with its vast expanse of wasteland unsuitable for agricultural production (nearly 180 million ha) could be considered for economically viable production of bio-fuels, medical and conservation and improvement of biodiversity work on bio-fuels was initiated around 20 years ago. Several of the plant diversely available in Rajasthan is endemic and of high medicinal value. Some of the plant species on threatened.

Bio-diesel production :