More than 4400 cubic meters of methane can be produced per hectare of Moringa per year. That is up to twice as much methane as can be produced per hectare per year from sugarbeet leaves — a common plant material for biogas.

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Castor

Castor (Ricinus communis) was a neglected crop until recently. The oil can be used as fuel and the cake as a biofertilizer. The harvest can take place 4-5 months after planting. The seeds of the castor bean have an oil content between 40 and 50%, and the castor bean plant can grow as perennial in tropical climates. The plant can grow up to 10 meters in height. Castor bean can exhaust the soil quickly and regular fertilization is needed for continuous seed production. When irrigated, seed yields from castor bean can exceed 2000 kg per hectare.

Varieties and yield:

1. Aruna castor is short in height. It can give a yield of 2.5-3 tonnes per hectare in 120-150 days.

2. For rain-fed land, 5-7.5 kg of seeds is required per hectare.

3. For irrigated land 2.5-3.5 kg of seeds is required per hectare.

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