This work evaluated the influence of drought and nitrogen fertilization on the fatty acid composition of Jatropha curcas seeds by means of H-1 HR-MAS NMR, a tool which allows obtaining chemical information directly from the seeds. It was found that only the drought conditions led to the decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acid contents and to the increase of those monounsaturated. No changes were observed for the contents of saturated fatty acids. The lipid profile reached without irrigation may be considered the most effective for improving biodiesel properties, such as cetane number and oxidative stability. At last, there was no influence on the fatty acid composition with different levels of nitrogen fertilizer application. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.