Crop description. Salvadora oleoides Decne, S. persica L., and S. indica— commonly known as bahapilu, chootapilu, jhal, jaal, pilu, kabbar, khakan, and mitijar—belong to the family Salvadoraceae and are found in arid regions of western India and Pakistan (see Figs. 4.1 and 4.2). The crop is typical of the tropical thorn forest. It is highly salt tolerant and grows in coastal regions and on inland saline soils [48, 49]. S. oleoides is a shrub or small tree up to 9 m in height. Seeds contain 40-50% of a greenish-yellow fat containing large amounts of lauric and myristic acids [50].

Main uses. The fruits are sweet and edible. The seed cake contains 12% protein and is suitable for livestock fodder. The wood is used for building purposes. It is also an important source of fuelwood. The fat in seeds can be used for making soap and candles. The leaves and fruits are used in medicine to relieve cough, rheumatism, and fever. The tree contributes to erosion control in fragile areas [50]. Some authors have carried out systematic studies on the lubrication properties of biodiesel from S. oleoides and its blends. Biodiesel was prepared by base-catalyzed transesterification using methanol. Results indicate that addition of biodiesel improves the lubricity and reduces wear scar diameter even at a 5% blend [51].