Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family that is found across all the tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. Castor is considered to be one of the most promising nonedible oil crop, due to its high annual seed production and yield, and adaptability to semiarid climate and adverse growing conditions. Castor plant is an important renewable resource that has a high potential for use as a biorefining feedstock. Castor oil can be used for biodiesel production, while the main by-products generated in the castor oil production (capsule husks and meal) and the residual biomass, are potentially applicable as feedstocks for advanced ethanol and biogas. Field experiments were conducted over the period 2019-2020 at the Experimental farm of the University of Catania to compare 28 genotypes of Castor (Ricinus communis L.) breed from native perennial plants in the Mediterranean basin in terms of seed and oil yield. The total seed yield ranged between 2985 and 1747 kg ha-1. Oil content in castor seeds was on average 42.7 % and 46.1 % for the primary and secondary racemes, respectively. Oil yield reflected the changes in seed yield obtaining on average 1140 kg ha-1.
Oil production of diverse mediterranean castor genotypes
Piccitto A.;Calcagno S.;Copani V.;Testa G.;Scordia D.;Cosentino Salvatore Luciano
2021-01-01
Abstract
Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family that is found across all the tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. Castor is considered to be one of the most promising nonedible oil crop, due to its high annual seed production and yield, and adaptability to semiarid climate and adverse growing conditions. Castor plant is an important renewable resource that has a high potential for use as a biorefining feedstock. Castor oil can be used for biodiesel production, while the main by-products generated in the castor oil production (capsule husks and meal) and the residual biomass, are potentially applicable as feedstocks for advanced ethanol and biogas. Field experiments were conducted over the period 2019-2020 at the Experimental farm of the University of Catania to compare 28 genotypes of Castor (Ricinus communis L.) breed from native perennial plants in the Mediterranean basin in terms of seed and oil yield. The total seed yield ranged between 2985 and 1747 kg ha-1. Oil content in castor seeds was on average 42.7 % and 46.1 % for the primary and secondary racemes, respectively. Oil yield reflected the changes in seed yield obtaining on average 1140 kg ha-1.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
