srjalsSRJALSSRJALS2788-9386https://doi.org/10.47310/srjals.2021.v01i01.007Laboratory evaluation of ethanol production from Jatropha curcas as compared to a selected Sugarcane variety (DB 7869)ZareefaBacchusGomathinayagamSubramanianFaculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Guyana Berbice Campus, Tain, Berbice, Guyana, South AmericaThis is driving research to use Ethanol as a transportation fuel in view of the fact that it is more efficient, cleaner and a cheaper source of energy. Engines have been converted for the use of ethanol in countries like Brazil, India, United States of America. Jatropha curcas or commonly called ‘physic nut’ is of the Euphorbiaceae family, a perennial crop, with a higher efficiency of bio fuel production than Sugarcane, a crop that requires limited attention in its cultivation. Jatropha curcas is seen as having potentials for commercial production in Guyana, as such large scale cultivation will commence in the near future so as to reduce fuel importation cost, create a cleaner atmosphere and aid in creating job opportunities. Sugarcane occupies some 50,000 ha of land along the coast of Guyana. The potential for commercial ethanol production from sugarcane has been extensively studied in recent years by Guyana Sugar Cooperation (Guysuco) and other agencies with the interest to increase the diversity of products from sugarcane. The procedure for this project involves primarily laboratory work in which Jatropha curcas leaves and seeds were collected as well as Sugarcane variety (DB 7869) juice, isolated with yeast, Saccharomyces cereviseae and fermented for a week. Ethanol produced from these materials was obtained from simple distillation. The results attain showed that Jatropha curcas produced a higher percentage of ethanol than Sugarcane variety (DB 7869). The quality (percentage of alcohol) and purity (alcohols/esters) of the ethanol was tested at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Guyana Pharmaceuticals Company (GPC), in which Sugarcane variety DB 7869 was found to be purer than Jatropha curcas. This experiment was done on a small scale and a lot of knowledge was acquired about the ability of producing bio fuel from both of these plants however, further research needs to be carried out on a larger scale to enhance the results and to pick up what has been over looked, all for the benefit of commercial production and a cleaner atmosphere.