Genetic Transformation of Jatropha curcas: Current Status and Future Prospects

Energy production systems of the future must depend less on petroleum based resources and more on alternative sources, as it is essential for the well being of mankind on the planet. Bioenergy holds the greatest promise to contribute significantly to reduce the petroleum dependency and protect the environment. Jatropha curcas, a drought tolerant oil yielding perennial plant has received much attention as a potential source for biodiesel production. Despite the potential of J. curcas, the crop productivity is far too low to be commercialized. Very limited information is available on genetic variability and availability of superior genotypes for commercial cultivation. The traditional way to improve the desired traits is by breeding techniques, but these techniques have limitations as they depend on sexual compatibility, and takes considerable time (10–15 years) to release a new variety. Alternatively, genetic manipulation tools, such as, genetic transformation methods are urgently required for rapid improvement of the species. The most widely used methods of genetic transformation are Agrobacterium-mediated and direct gene transfer using particle gun A very limited progress is made on genetic transformation for different traits in J. curcas. In this review, we attempt to address the currently available literature and discuss about improvement of the species through genetic transformation.

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