Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment
Castor (<i>Ricinus communis</i> L.) is a plant belonging to the <i>Euphorbiaceae</i> family originated from Asia or Africa and well adapted to the Mediterranean environment. As an oilseed crop with a high oil content (35–65%), it is nowadays used for biofuels production, with...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1402 |
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| author | Valeria Cafaro Giorgio Testa Cristina Patanè |
| author_facet | Valeria Cafaro Giorgio Testa Cristina Patanè |
| author_sort | Valeria Cafaro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Castor (<i>Ricinus communis</i> L.) is a plant belonging to the <i>Euphorbiaceae</i> family originated from Asia or Africa and well adapted to the Mediterranean environment. As an oilseed crop with a high oil content (35–65%), it is nowadays used for biofuels production, with a large potential for applications in chemical and pharmaceutical sectors as well. As for other oilseed crops, the interest towards this crop has grown exponentially in the past decades because of the necessity of limiting fossil fuels, obtaining clean energy, and use of a renewable energy source as required by RED (Renewable Energy Directive) within the European Union. Moreover, castor has a great adaptability in different soil and climate conditions, and it is known as a low-key maintenance crop. These characteristics, together with the necessity of increasing renewable energy sources, with the possibility of re-evaluating marginal lands, make castor the ideal plant to be exploited in the years to come. This review aims at giving useful information regarding its cultivation and soil and climate requirements, providing an overview on its spread on the market. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2ca7dca80da643e5ba860220c8c63da7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-2ca7dca80da643e5ba860220c8c63da72025-08-20T03:30:25ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-06-01156140210.3390/agronomy15061402Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean EnvironmentValeria Cafaro0Giorgio Testa1Cristina Patanè2CNR-Istituto per la BioEconomia (IBE), Sede secondaria di Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, ItalyDipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Catania, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, ItalyCNR-Istituto per la BioEconomia (IBE), Sede secondaria di Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, ItalyCastor (<i>Ricinus communis</i> L.) is a plant belonging to the <i>Euphorbiaceae</i> family originated from Asia or Africa and well adapted to the Mediterranean environment. As an oilseed crop with a high oil content (35–65%), it is nowadays used for biofuels production, with a large potential for applications in chemical and pharmaceutical sectors as well. As for other oilseed crops, the interest towards this crop has grown exponentially in the past decades because of the necessity of limiting fossil fuels, obtaining clean energy, and use of a renewable energy source as required by RED (Renewable Energy Directive) within the European Union. Moreover, castor has a great adaptability in different soil and climate conditions, and it is known as a low-key maintenance crop. These characteristics, together with the necessity of increasing renewable energy sources, with the possibility of re-evaluating marginal lands, make castor the ideal plant to be exploited in the years to come. This review aims at giving useful information regarding its cultivation and soil and climate requirements, providing an overview on its spread on the market.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1402castor managementrenewable energy cropmarginal landbiofuels crop |
| spellingShingle | Valeria Cafaro Giorgio Testa Cristina Patanè Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment Agronomy castor management renewable energy crop marginal land biofuels crop |
| title | Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment |
| title_full | Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment |
| title_fullStr | Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment |
| title_short | Castor: A Renewed Oil Crop for the Mediterranean Environment |
| title_sort | castor a renewed oil crop for the mediterranean environment |
| topic | castor management renewable energy crop marginal land biofuels crop |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1402 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT valeriacafaro castorarenewedoilcropforthemediterraneanenvironment AT giorgiotesta castorarenewedoilcropforthemediterraneanenvironment AT cristinapatane castorarenewedoilcropforthemediterraneanenvironment |