BLOSSOMING TREASURES OF BIODIVERSITY 36. Castor Bean - taming the world's most poisonous plant

摘要

Castor Bean is one of mankind's oldest cultivated plants. Curiously, although it is phenomenally poisonous, it is one of our most useful plants, providing an astonishing range of essential products. But like many reliable friends, it has been taken for granted, and very few people are familiar with its value. In recent times, the world has come to realise the importance of crops that promote sustainable agriculture, efficiently utilising increasingly scarce land, water and energy to produce indispensable products, and especially goods that are compatible with the need to protect Earth's resources. No crop is perfect in these respects, including Castor Bean, but as described below, it has the