Information-based Optimization of Jatropha Biomass Energy Production in the Frost- and Drought-prone Regions Of Botswana
Crops in Botswana grow slowly due to dryness and cold-weather, and this is a barrier to the accomplishment of a low carbon society based on bioenergy. However, the nation has an abundance of wild plants that can withstand dryness and winter season cold. It also has large numbers of jatropha curcas trees, whose seeds have abundant quantities of an oil considered to hold excellent pledge as a biofuel. The goal of this task is to use these resources to establish jatropha curcas ranges that are resistant to dryness and winter and deal high performance, as well as to develop methods of cultivating these varieties. In this way, a biological method will help to achieve a low carbon society.
Creating a bioenergy production design based on the nation's own biological resources
A database of biological resource data connecting to Jatropha will be constructed and appropriate ranges will be developed. Moreover, in this desert that goes through winter, efforts will be made to establish a growing system that is versatile with respect to environment change. The task will work to construct a production model using plant genetic resources that are native to Botswana.