Evaluation of Variation in Seed Parameters and Morphology of Pongamia pinnata: A Biodiesel Yielding Plant in Bhadravathi Town, Karnataka

摘要

Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel produced from domestic,renewable resources and it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel tocreate a biodiesel blend and can be used in compression ignition (diesel) engineswith no major modifications. The oil obtained from the seeds of Pongamia pinnataholds promise as fuel used as alternative for diesel. The plant has a variety ofuses, but its economic exploitation has remained neglected for long time. Surveyof Pongamia pinnata plant at the study area was conducted during January-September 2007 to know the density of the species and impact of morphologicalcharacteristics on the yield efficiency of the species. Since, lot of wasteland (4631hectares) was found in the study area (Bhadravathi taluk), recognition of the potentialuse of these species as a source of biofuels and in wasteland reclamation has gotpromising scope. This paper reflects on the ecological and economical benefits ofPongamia pinnata as an energy source in the study area.