PGPR Treatment in J. curcas to Improve the Quality and Yield of Fruits in the Application of Biodiesel Production

Abstract

Fossil fuels, which are non-renewable, emit greenhouse gases and are an important source of energy on a global scale. A rapidly emerging replacement for fossil fuels is biodiesel, and Jatropha curcas is a crucial material in its production. Due to the low seed yield per cultivable hectare, J. curcas's application for biodiesel production hasn't expanded much. Rhizobacteria that live on the surface of plant roots and either directly or indirectly support plant growth and development is known as "plant growth promoting rhizobacteria" (PGPR). The present study, attempts to improve Jatropha seed yield upon using isolated potential PGPR treatment. Plant height (0.38 fold), chlorophyll content (0.53 fold), total protein (1.5 fold), number of male flowers (2.8 fold), number of female flowers (2.4 fold), and number of fruits (3.1 fold) all significantly increased in PGPR-treated plants.  Physicochemical properties depicted acid value (7 mg/g), Iodine value (104 mg/g), saponification value (192 mg/g), viscosity (33.1 mm2/sec) and density (911.1 kg/m3). The evaluation of fatty acid composition using GC revealed that oleic acid (43.35%), linoleic acid (35.85%), Palmitic acid (15.85%) and stearic acid (4.95%). These findings imply that PGPR treatment encourages fruit output, which could lead to an increase in biodiesel production.