**5. Agronomy**

The review of this content has led to greater understanding of the classic farming requirements for jojoba. Jojoba has the distinction of being the commercial crop successfully in desert of Rajasthan, India. To meet the demand of future its needs to be cultivated in huge amounts which are easy in desert land as well as wasteland reclamation. Soil texture is an important parameter for best growth in sandy and decomposed rocky soil. Even if the fertility of soil is marginal, jojoba is still able to produces well without use of fertilizers.

The irrigation system well established for jojoba plantation whether propagation by planting seedlings or stem cuttings. The drip watering system at root level to avoid evaporation of water so that plants use water maximally for better growth. Under ideal conditions of soil, water and sun, the tap root will grow an inch a day, within two years of planting. The root system should reach the level of aquifer thus enabling sufficient growth for seed production without supplemental watering.

Jojoba is a cross pollinated plant and crop having tendency to produce seedlings of varying size and yield. Therefore, this heterozygous progeny has raised doubt about economic feasibility of jojoba crop at commercial scale. The need of jojoba growers for the successful commercialization depends upon selection of high yields germplasm and their further multiplication [29].

Propagation of jojoba crop is through direct seeding, seedlings, rooted cutting and plantlets produced from tissue culture techniques. Commercial crop rose through direct seeds and seedlings are slow growing and requires three to four years to reach the flowering stage. These methods have limitation of male biased population which affects yields of crop [29].

When commercial plantation rose through direct seeding, about more than 50% seedlings are males. But the requirement of male population is only 10% seedlings. The plant sex can be recognized only when plants start bearing flowers after 2–3 years of planting. Therefore, a major disadvantage of plantation raised through direct seeding method. To maximize the production, plantation raised through rooted cuttings from sex-specific plants (male or female) which are known to best quality of seeds with high level of oil content. For commercial plantation with 90% female plants, leaving the 10% male plants to produces adequate pollen for all the female flowers. However, only the female plants gives the valuable seeds and requires more population in a commercial field [30].

Centre for Jatropha Promotion and Biodiesel (CJP) is a Global Jojoba World which focuses on commercialization of entire jojoba in arid and semi-arid regions of India. In Bikaner district Rajasthan of India, the commercial plantation raised through the rooted cutting of high yielding germplasm. The advantages of male and female cuttings used in a commercial field due to high uniformity of germplasm with high yield. The best planting time is spring season for well establishment of crop. Generally, jojoba crop produced an economically useful yield after four or fifth years of plantings [7].

#### *Jojoba - The Gold of Desert DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99872*

Naturally, seed yield of jojoba range from a few seeds to as much as five kilogram seeds per plant. The seed yield varying from plant to plant and year to year production for a particular field. Average yield of seeds in a commercial plantation using selected higher yielding germplasm is capable of producing one to eleven tons per hectare after seventh to fifteenth years of planting. The irrigation system in Thar Desert of Rajasthan through the drip irrigation system supply control by pressure regulators. Irrigation system must be in initial planting time mainly in spring and early winter seasons for maximum utilization of water for growth [31].

The commercial plantations of jojoba raised successfully in Bikaner district of Rajasthan, India, shown in **Figure 2**. Naturally, flowering season of crops occurs in February to March and field image taken by author in 2019, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India (**Figure 3**). The collections of seeds manually and processed by labourers in farmhouse as shown in **Figure 4**. The jojoba meal or cake used as fertilizers in a field, image taken by author as in **Figure 5**.

**Figure 2.** *Well establishment of jojoba plantation in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.*

**Figure 3.** *Flowerings of female jojoba plant in a field of Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Collection and processing of jojoba seeds in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.*

**Figure 5.** *Jojoba meal after oil removing process in farmhouse of Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.*

The commercial plantation of jojoba manages by CJP through advanced crop practices adjustable to local soil quality, weather conditions, pest and disease control during frosting time. Therefore, the CJP developed a improved technology to ensures high yielding germplasm, crop management, irrigation system, fertilizers requirement, harvesting techniques, post-harvesting techniques and further grading-up process [31].

For the promotion of cultivation of jojoba as a commercial crop mainly on arid zones, the CJP organize the technical training programme on entire jojoba cultivation. The training programmes includes the selection of land sites according to soil quality and weather conditions, seed bed preparations, seeding methods, germplasm selection, planting methods, irrigation process, manure and fertilizers addition, plantation male and female ratio obtaining high quality fruits, intercropping, weeds control, diseases and their control, predators and their control, harvesting techniques, drying and storage precautions [31].

The key factors governing profitability for large scale production of jojoba that the crop is grown under such conditions which are conducive to high commercial

#### *Jojoba - The Gold of Desert DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99872*

yield. Adverse rainfall and temperature conditions can limit the commercial production of the crop. Similarly, frost is a limiting factor to reduce the quality of production. Therefore, it is evident that jojoba plantations may survive in some marginal waste land. In India, the CJP supervised the Jojoba Oil Farms to focus on the organic farming of jojoba from crop management to production of end product. Research on high yielding variety, best plantation methods with enhanced techniques has going on global scale. However, the CJP keep watching on research towards jojoba breeding techniques and collecting the useful information related to jojoba cultivation methods. The enhanced variety of jojoba with regards of seed yield and oil yield with enhanced jojoba cultivation techniques may ensures early flowering and fruiting into profitable production of oil crop.

The success of commercial cultivation of jojoba depends upon high value of market which resides on improved yielding germplasm of both male and female plants. Agriculture industry hesitant to invest in a new technology to ensures the steady and continued supply of that resource. Jojoba oil as an alternative oil in various industries and as a biofuel has been demonstrated. The jojoba crop has been proposed as gold of desert as it is highly profitable economical new oil seed crop being grown in India, Egypt, Australia and America. In India the development of jojoba cultivation including crop management, drip irrigation system and cost of production of one kilogram seeds is 0.5 \$. This low cost of production in the country as compared to other oil seed crop gives it a competitive edge [31].

According to agronomist, the plantation of jojoba requires less water as compare to other oil seed crops in desert regions. This crop does not require much attention as free from cattle attacks. The economic production is good as gives high income to the farmers as compares to other traditional crop. Also, the CJP can help to farmers to identifying the needs, opportunities and solution of local, regional and national markets values. For best farming system, the CJP directs to creating best business strategy for effective cultivation of jojoba.
