Biodiesel has gained worldwide popularity as an alternative energy source due to its renewable, non-toxic, biodegradable and non-flammable properties. It also has low emission profiles and is environmentally beneficial. Biodiesel can be used either in pure form or blended with conventional petrodiesel in automobiles without any major engine modifications. Various non-edible and edible oils can be used for the preparation of biodiesel. With no competition with food uses, the use of non-edible oils as alternative source for engine fuel will be important. Among the non-edible oils, such as Pongamia, Argemone and Castor, Jatropha curcas has tremendous potential for biodiesel production. J. curcas, growing mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates across the developing world, is a multipurpose species with many attributes and considerable potentials. In this article, we review the oil extraction and characterization, the role of different catalysts on transesterification, the current state-of-the-art in biodiesel production, the process control and future potential improvement of biodiesel production from J. curcas.

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by stingless bee or honey bee from various plant sources. The substance is known to contain beneficial properties for human. The geographical origin of propolis determines its biological properties. In this study, propolis were collected from five regions of Indonesia with the objective of determining the yield, their total flavonoid content, their capacity to induce apoptosis, and their toxicity to the Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cell line. The inhibition of antioxidant 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the induction of apoptosis to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the anticytotoxic ability were determined. Propolis from Pekanbaru region had higher yield than other regions with value of 19.97%; propolis from Kendal had higher quantity with value of 46.60%, total flavonoid content; propolis from Pandeglang was higher in DPPH oxidation capacity with value of 68.94 μg.ml -1 ; propolis from Kendal, expressed petite cell induction in S. cerevisiae cells with value of 81.44%, and the anticytotoxic to MCF-7 breast cancer cell line were best observed in propolis from Makassar region with a value of 47.71% life cells. All of the propolis extracted from the stingless bee hive Trigona spp from five regions in Indonesia contained flavonoids.

Utilization of cocoa pod husk (CPH) as feedstuff needs pretreatment to increase its nutrients availability. Bioconversion with Phanerochaete chrysosporium changes its structure by breaking down the linkage between lignin and structural carbohydrates. This experiment was aimed to evaluate the quality of fermented CPH biomass as feed for goats. The experimental treatments i.e.: A= 30% of fresh napier grass (RG) + 50% of dried RG + 20% of concentrate; B= 30% of fresh RG + 30% of dried RG + 40% of concentrate; C= 30% of fresh RG + 30% of CPH + 40% of concentrate; D= 30% of fresh RG + 30% of fermented CPH + 40% of concentrate and E= 30% of fresh RG + 50% of fermented CPH + 20% of concentrate. The treatments were allocated in a randomized block design with three replications. Feed intake, body weight gain and ration effi ciency were measured. The use of fermented CPH at the level of 30% had higher (P<0.05) feed intake (560.33 g day -1 ), body weight gain (101.79 g head -1 day -1 ), and feed conversion (5.50) compared to other treatments. In conclusion that the use of 30% fermented CPH in the ration showed the best body weight gain and feed effi ciency.

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