Hello,
From the www jatrophaworld org website of the Rajasthan based Centre for Jatropha Promotion the crop density for Jatropha is:
"Satisfactory planting widths are 2 x 2 m, 2.5 x 2.5 m, and 3 x 3 m. This is equivalent to crop densities of 2500, 1600 and 1111 plants/ha, respectively. Distance OF 2MX2M BE KEPT FOR COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION
Wider spacing is reported to give larger yields of fruit."
While this is the conventional wisdom on Jatropha spacing, let me suggest to you an idea from Olive cultivation.
In the Super High Density Olive Cultivation the inter tree spacing in a row is 1.2 m to 1.8 m (4 to 6 feet) and the spacing between rows is 3.6 m to 3.9 m (12 to 13 feet). The larger inter row spacing is for mechanical harvesters to drive through the orchard. The canopy is pruned to 1.8 m to 2.4 m (6 to 8 feet). Thus SHD plants about 600 to 900 trees per acre as opposed to about 120 trees per acre in the conventional olive orchards. Since the density has increased by 5 to 7, the inter tree spacing is reduced by a factor of 2.2 to 2.6.
The main advantage of SHD for olives is mechanical harvesting but they also claim greater yields and faster produce. We can try out this method with Jatropha. Instead of spacing with 2m X 2m as recommended by jatrophaworld, please try 1m X 1m ( 3 feet X 3 feet). You will also have to prune the Jatropha shrubs to about 1.2 m (4 feet).
Since you have 80 acres, I suggest that you apply the conventional method of spacing in about 60 acres and try out the Super High Density method of Jatropha in the remaing 20 acres.
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02-16-2008
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