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Pongamia

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Pongamia

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Genus: Pongamia Ventenat

Pongamia is a genus of legume in the Fabaceae family. It contains the following species: Pongamia velutina

Contents [hide] 1 Species formerly in the genus 2 Biodiesel 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Species formerly in the genus Pongamia pinnata or Pongamia glabra are synonyms for Millettia pinnata

Overview
Pongamia pinnata is a leguminous, oilseed-bearing tree that has been identified as a candidate for non-edible vegetable oil production. In California is it being grown in clay soil, it is a deep rooting plant that can flourish there. It can be harvested by automated machines and processed with existing facilities. It is reported to be able to produce biofuel for a dollar a gallon. Pongamia pinnata is an alternative crop to Jatropha Curcus,another oil producing tree. Pongamia produces higher yeilds than Jatropha Curcus but can only be expected after 4 to 7 years. The tree grows to about 15-25 meters in height; it has a large canopy that spreads equally wide. The leaves are soft, shiny burgundy color in the summer and mature to a glossy deep green later on in the season. Small clusters of white, purple, and pink flowers blossom constantly throughout the year before maturing into brown seed pods. The tree can handle intense heat and sunlight. It has a dense thick root system making it quite drought tolerant. The dense shade reduces evaporation of the moisture in the soil. The root structures provide nitrogen fixation moving nutrients from the air into the soil. It’s a tough hardy tree that can handle up to 500mm of annual rainfall and will even survive its roots being in saltwater. In India the Pongamia Pinnata trees are normally planted publicly along roads, highways and canals as erosion control. There are billions of trees in India. If the fallen seeds from the trees were to be collected and the oil extracted, thousands of tons of oil would be available for lighting lamps and cooking in rural areas. Since the trees are so spread out over the country the collection for Biodiesel production isn’t probable, but a small plant could definitely support a small plant.

Yields and Economics
Trees of ten year old reach adult height in 4 or 5 years, bearing at the age of 4–7 years. A single tree is said to yield 9–90 kg seed per tree, indicating a yield potential of 900––9000 kg seed/ha. Pongamia seeds contain 30-40% oil. Pongamia pinnata belongs to the family sp. (Papilionaceace) are mere species viz. Pongamia glabra also exists.

Biodiesel(Pongamia)
Pongamia plantations for biodiesel production has a two-fold environmental benefit. The trees both store carbon while producing fuel oil. Pongamia grows on land not fit for food crops and agriculture and doesn’t require nitrate fertilizers and its competition crops do. The oil producing tree has the highest yield of oil producing plant (approx.. 40%) while growing in malnourished soils with high levels of salt. It is becoming a main focus in a number of biodiesel research organizations. The main advantages of Pongamia are that the higher recovery and quality of oil than other crops, no direct competition with food crops as it is a non-edible. Having no direct competition with existing farmland as it can be grown on degraded and marginal land.

 ^ "Startup: Nuts to biofuel - Video - Business News". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved 2012-11-26. ^ "Pongamia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

http://make-biodiesel.org/Oilseed-Plants-for-Biodiesel/pongamia-pinnata-oil.html

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