16 Dec Breeder and Certified Seed Production of Castor
अरण्ड का ब्रीडर और प्रमाणित बीज उत्पादन Castor is a non-edible oil-yielding crop, it requires warm climate, grown in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions. Crop is widely grown in India, Brazil, China, Thailand, USSR and USA. India, Brazil and China contribute about 90 % of world production. India is the largest producer and exporter of castor oil in the world. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa, are the major castor growing states in India. Castor seed contains 48 to 56 per cent of oil it has wide range of uses. It is mainly used as lubricant and medicinal purpose. It is also used in the adhesives, plastics, soaps, printing ink, waxes, rubber substitutes, drying oil for enamels, paints, varnishes and cosmetics industries. Large quantity of castor oil is used in paints and varnish industry. The plant is used as a source of pulp for cellulose, cardboards and newsprint. The oil cake is used as manure. Castor oil is unique among vegetable oils due to the presence of a hydroxy fatty acid known as ricinoleic acid which constitutes about 84-90% of the total fatty acids in the oil. The castor oil is different from other vegetable oils in the sense that it does not freeze even under adverse temperatures of -12...