Crop description. Cuphea spp., C. carthagenensis, C. painter, C. ignea, and C. viscosissima—commonly known as cuphea—belong to the family Lythraceae and grow in temperate and subtropical climates (see Fig. 4.5). They can be found in Central and South America, and have been grown in trials in Germany and the United States. The seeds of Cuphea con­tain about 30-36% oil [69]. Major fatty acid composition of the oil includes caprylic acid (73% in C. painter, 3% in C. ignea), capric acid (18% in C. carthagenensis, 24% in C. painteri, 87% in C. ignea, and 83-86% in C. llavea), and lauric acid (57% in C. carthagenensis) [70].

Main uses. It contains high levels of short-chain fatty acids, very inter­esting for industrial applications. Previous studies have suggested that oil composition and chemical properties of C. viscosissima VS-320 are not appropriate for use as a substitute for diesel fuel without chemical

conversion of triglycerides to methyl esters. Further genetic modifica­tions must be made [71, 72]. Later studies have revealed that genetically modified oils present relatively low viscosity that is predicted to enhance their performance as alternative diesel fuels [73]. Also, atomization prop­erties suggest better fuel performance, because this oil has short-chain triglycerides, while traditional vegetable oils contain predominantly long-chain triglycerides [74].