The effects of growing Jatropha in on-farm and on-station degraded lands were evaluated on carbon (C) sequestration and soil properties. Jatropha accumulated and added to soil significant amounts of C (305 kg ha −1 year −1) from the year one itself. Overall, a 3-5-year old plantation added per year around 4000 kg plant biomass equivalent to 1450 kg C ha −1-800 kg C through leaves, 150 kg C through pruned twigs, and 495 kg C as deoiled Jatropha cake. Biodiesel C replacement in the fossil fuel was 230 kg ha −1. Besides adding biomass to the soil, and C replacement in fossil fuel; the standing Jatropha rendered ecosystem service by fixing 5100-6100 kg ha −1 C as the aboveground plus belowground biomass. Carbon additions by Jatropha during 4 years increased C content in the degraded surface soil layer by 19%, resulting in about 2500 kg ha −1 C sequestered. Huge C additions and live root activity under Jatropha increased microbial population, respiration rate and microbial biomass C and N in soil. Along with C additions, 4000 kg ha −1 year −1 plant biomass recycled into the soil 85.5 kg nitrogen, 7.67 kg phosphorus, 43.9 kg potassium, 5.20 kg sulphur, 0.11 kg boron, 0.12 kg zinc and other nutrients. The C additions improved water holding capacity of the soil under Jatropha as compared with the adjacent control soil which increased by 35% at 30 kPa and 21% at 1500 kPa soil water potential.

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The radiative emission properties of the Dy3+ ions in an oxyfluoride glass and glass-ceramics have been studied for the generation of white light. The x-ray diffraction pattern of the glass-ceramics shows the formation of CaF2 fluorite-type nanocrystals in the glass matrix after a suitable thermal treatment of the precursor glass, whereas time-resolved optical measurements show the incorporation of the Dy3+ ions in the CaF2 nanocrystals. Intense white light has been observed when the samples are excited with 451 nm laser light. From the visible emission spectra, yellow to blue intensity ratios and the chromaticity color coordinates have been determined. All the color coordinates are found to lie in the white light region of the chromaticity color diagram.

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