1. Genetic Improvement Of Castor In the Western Hemisphere
Dick Auld – TTU/ TX AgriLife Research
Steve Oswalt – Texas Tech University
Travis Miller – Texas AgriLife Extension
Carlos Demant – UNESP/ TTU
Mauricio Zanotto – UNESP (Brazil)
Liv Severino – EMBRAPA (Brazil)
Alejandro Navas – CORPOICA (Columbia)

2. Castor Genetic Improvement “The Rest of the U.S.A Team”
Brian Baldwin – MSU
Tom McKeon – USDA-ARS (Albany)
Grace Chen – USDA-ARS (Albany)
Calvin Trostle – Texas AgriLife Ext.
Mike Foster – Texas AgriLife Research
Tom Kilcer – Cornell Extension
Alan Taylor – Cornell Geneva Ctr.
Bill Crosby – Univ. of Windsor (Canada)

3. A Lady of Dubious Character “Slightly Hot Blooded”
Mamona (Portuguese)
A Lady of Dubious Character
And the Castor Plant
“A Little Dangerous”
“Slightly Hot Blooded”
“Very Promiscuous”

4. Mamona - Castor “A Little Dangerous” Ricin Toxin
“Slightly Hot Blooded”
World Wide in the Tropics
“Very Promiscuous”
Pollinates Over Five Miles

5. Tracking pollen flow in Mississippi USA
99.8% of all pollen limited to 6-6.5m

6. Castor Improvement for Biodiesel & Industrial Oil for All America* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7. Castor - (Ricinus communis L.)
Seed Yield: 1000 to 3,360 kg/ha
Oil Content: 45 to 60% (500 to 1,800 l/ha)
Fatty Acids: 85% ricinoleic acid
Disadvantages: Ricin & Allergens
Advantages: Highest Oil Yields of Any Temperately Adapted Oilseed Crop Plant

8. Future Castor Research
Reduced
Ricin Toxin
Improved
Water Use
Genetic Yield
Enhancement

9. Conventional Genetics to Reduce Ricin Levels in Castor
Release TTU LRC Germplasm
Crop Sci 43 :
Release of ‘Brigham’ Castor
Hale = 4,210 ug/ml (38% Total Proteins)
Brigham = 416 ug/ml (4% Total Proteins)
2012 – Future Castor Varieties
McKeon = 40 ug/ml (0.4% Total Proteins)

10. Three University Collaboration
Tissue culture
Elimination of ricin by genetic transformation
Elimination of the allergens
Leading to safe castor

11. Dryland Castor Production in
North East Brazil

12. Hand Harvested

13. Lack of Local
Transportation

14. Limited Mechanized Harvest

15. Columbia, U.S., & Brazil
Charter Members of the
“Mamona Mafia”

16. Excellent
Drought
Tolerance

17. Salt Tolerance

18. Hybrid Vigor

19. Genetic Diversity

20. Genetic Diversity

21. Broad Adaptation

22. North American Castor Production
High Yielding & Adapted Varieties
Drought & Salt Tolerant Varieties
Mechanized Production & Harvesting
Cost Effective & Sustainable Production

23. Production of Castor on
the Texas High Plains
1. Semi-dwarf Plant Varieties.
Apply Plant Growth Regulators.
Fully Mechanized Production.
Production on Marginal Land.
“ Most Economical Source
of Industrial Oil Feedstocks”

24. Production Field of ‘Hale’ Castor
Lubbock, Texas in 2008

25. Production Field of ‘Hale’ Castor
Memphis, Tennessee in 2006

26. Combine Harvest of
‘Hale’ Castor Seed

27. Castor Seed in Combine
Prior to Cleaning
Clean Seed Yield Exceeded
3,000 kg/ha

28. Castor has a
Promising Future

29. Acknowledgement
Texas AgriLife Research and Extension and Texas Tech University
Ms. Marjorie Klayman
Alnor Oil Company, Inc.
Dr. Travis Miller – Texas A&M
Dr. John B. Morris (USDA-ARS)
Griffin, GA (Germplasm)