Seed yield and oil quality as affected by Camelina cultivar and planting date

ABSTRACT

Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] has been identified as a potential oilseed crop for fallow replacement in cropping systems in the semiarid US Great Plains. However, camelina production is limited to the northern Great Plains region. We investigated the effects of three planting dates [mid-March, early-April, and mid-April] and three cultivars (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) on spring camelina seed yield and oil quality under non-irrigated conditions in western Kansas. Results showed planting in April increased seed yield by 34% compared with mid-March planting date. Blaine Creek produced greatest seed yield among the cultivars. Planting in mid-March increased oil, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and linolenic acid concentrations compared with April planting dates. Saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentration increased with an April planting date. Heat stress in the growing season reduced seed yield, oil, PUFA, linoleic, and linolenic acid concentrations. However, increase in precipitation amounts improved seed yield, oil, PUFA, and linolenic acid concentrations. Our findings showed early- to mid-April is the best-planting window for optimum spring camelina stands and seed yield in this environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Bioenergy; biodiesel
• biofuel
• fatty acids
• semiarid great plains
• oilseed

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture [Hatch project 1004296]; USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Biomass Research and Development Initiative program [Grant no.2012-10006-20230]; USDA/DOE Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy program [Grant no. DE-SC0012459]; and USDA North Central Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education Program [Grant no. GNC 14-191]. This is contribution number 18-163-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.