Castor oil and the plant’s roots and leaves are used in the ancient Indian medicinal system of Ayurveda. Global castor seed production is around two million tons per year. Leading producing areas are India (with over three-quarters of the global yield), China and Mozambique, and it is widely grown as a crop in Ethiopia.
What is castor oil?
Castor is a hardy plant, requires low input, tolerates marginal soils, is easy to establish in the field, is resistant to drought, and gives yield 350¨C900 kg oil per hectare. Castor oil shows great functional value in energy sector, industry, and pharmaceutical.
Is Castor a plant?
Ricinus communis, the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of castor and its relation to other species are currently being studied using modern genetic tools.
Is castor oil a renewable resource?
Castor oil plant ( Ricinus communis L.): Botany, ecology and uses. International Journal of Science and Research. 2014; 3 (5):1333-1341 76. Mutlu H, Meier MA. Castor oil as a renewable resource for the chemical industry.