BP Singh

92 R.V. SinghAmong the hydrocarbons and industrial plants is Jojoba(Simmondsia chinensis). A hardy shrub, native of north MexicoCanada, South-North USA, and a source of liquid wax. More than35 accessions of this have been introduced from USA, USSR andTanzania and have been under trial in Jodhpur, Gujarat and otherstates. At NBPGR Regional Station, Jodhpur one female plant ofEC 33198 ex USA gave very good seed yield. In guayule­(Parthenium argentatum), a shrub of tropical Mexican deserts, 65accessions have been introduced from USA and Mexico. All partsof the plant contain good quality of latex which when purifiedgives rubber. The variety Arizona No.2 (ex USA) has given goodperformance. The rubber content of two year old plantations wasfound to be 6 to 8%.Among the species of genus Euphorbia, E. lathyrus and E.tirucalli hold promise as hydrocarbon plants. E.lathyrus also knownas Gopher plant is annual, biennial or perennial of Mediterraneanorigin, an important source of crude oil which can .be effectivelyexploited for gasoline agriculture.E. tirucalli also known as milk bush, a shrub or small treenative of East Africa has become naturalised in India since too long.Its yielding capacity of latex of the plant has been reported to be15 to 20 barrels of oil/ acre/ year. A few collections have beenprocured from USA and are under trial at CAZRI, Jodhpur andother places. The most encouraging results have been obtainedwith Euphorbia antisyphilitica, a desert shrub of Mexican origin,which contains a high quality wax commercially known ascandeli1la wax. Wax content of 2.5% on dry weight basis has beenextracted from plants raised at the CAZRl, Jodhpur. However,recently some of the collections at the institute farm Jodhpur'havebeen reported to yield 4.5% of wax. This wax has been approvedby cordite factory at Nilgiris as per their specification and. requirements. Presently, India's entire quantity of candelilla waxrequirement is imported. Plants can be propagated easily fromstem cuttings. There is considerable fufure for raising E. antisyphiliticain the arid climate of the Thar desert.In recent years, much emphasis has been placed on Ipil-Ipil(Leucaena leucocephala), a successful multipurpose plant. TheBureau has introduced diverse germplasm numbering 335 fromAustralia, Philippines, Colombia, France, Malawi, Sierra Leone,-- ,