Abstract

GOYTIA-JIMENEZ, María Antonieta; GALLEGOS-GOYTIA, Carlos Horacio  and  NUNEZ-COLIN, Carlos Alberto. Relationship among climatic variables with the morphology and oil content of castor oil plant ( Ricinus communis L.) seeds from Chiapas. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.1, pp.41-48. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2010.08.048.

One hundred and fifty-one castor oil plant (Ricinus communis L.) accessions, collected in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, were characterized by the oil content, shape, size and weight of the seeds, with the aim of generating information that can serve as a basis for a breeding program for this species, which could be a profitable option for the production of biodiesel and turbine biofuel. Based on the distribution of the accessions, the following four climatic zones were established: Region 1) tropical rainy climate without a dry season; Region 2) tropical savanna with dry winters; Region 3) tropical savanna with less dry winters than those of Region 2; and Region 4) tropical rainforest. There was a wide variation in seed size (from 0.05 to 2.49 cm²), color, weight (from 7 to 123.9 g per 100 seeds) and oil content (from 12.20 to 64.84 %).The relationships established between the size and weight of 100 seeds with temperature and precipitation were negative, being significant only in regions 3 and 4. There was no significance to oil content relationships with temperature and precipitation, but the trend was positive in regions 1 and 4, the most humid ones of the four regions, and negative in regions 2 and 3. It is concluded that individuals of this species have a great ability to adapt to different environments and create special phenotypes for each place where they develop.

Keywords : Biodiesel; oil; accesssions; climate change.

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