Jojoba Trees Grow In Arid Desert To Produce Affordable, Sustainable Bio-Fuel
05 December, 2021
KHARTOUM (Sudanow) - The hohoba (in English) or the Jojoba (in Spanish) is a desert shrub with a high economic value that qualified it to figuratively be named “The Green Gold.”
It also goes by the scientific name ‘Simmondsia chinensis’.
Its economic value is seen in that its seed contains 40-60 percent oil with a distinct composition which is chemically classified as liquid wax.
The jojoba (or hohoba) can endure severe weathers, hot and cold, and can also survive in high salinity soils.
It can survive under 5up to 50 degrees and has a high resistance for pests.
It can also grow up and survive with a little quantity of water and can be irrigated with untraditional waters like treated sewage and highly saline waters. For that, it is seen as an ideal plant that can grow in the many deserts of our region to produce oil that is essential in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
It can also be processed into affordable and sustainable bio-fuel as it has been produced in Brazil. Egypt has recently announced a successful experiment in this concern.
It has been cultivated in many countries worldwide including the region's countries of Tunisia, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia and Egypt with the United States considered the largest jojoba oil-producing country, followed by Mexico.
Sudan had experimented the growing of jojoba in the late 1970s with aid from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The bid is now much needed to boost the country’s economy, in particular due to the increasing global demand of biofuel to cut on gas emissions resulting from the consumption of fossil fuel.
The Jojoba oil is used in supersonic engines of aircraft, in the processing of lubricants and anti-rusting oils. Here this oil was proved to preserve engines because it is devoid of sulfurs remaining in the seeds after the oil is pressed out.
Jojoba oil has a long shelf life and owing to this property it serves as an essential ingredient in various skin and hair care products. Also, it consists of several vitamins and minerals and therefore it used in several pharmaceuticals products.
Jojoba is also used in the processing of fodders as it contains proteins exceeding a rate of 30 percent. Conversely, it can be used to obtain weight loss! Some electronic web-pages indicate that substances in the jojoba leaves and seeds’ covers can be extracted to produce anti-cancer drugs.
The jojoba is a perennial, evergreen plant that grows into a tree 60 cm-4.5 meters high, with a 2.5 meter diameter.
It has more than one major stem with many branching cylindrical stems.
The leaves are oval in shape, covered with tiny waxy hairs that reduce water loss. These leaves look very much like those of olives.
The tree produces annual seeds that look like those of groundnut and are coated in a somewhat thick brown cover.
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