Location: Soil Management Research
Title: Winter camelina in the Northern U.S. and the potential of its use in double-cropping Author
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: September 22, 2010
Publication Date: September 22, 2010
Citation: Gesch, R.W. 2010. Winter camelina in the Northern U.S. and the potential of its use in double-cropping [abstract]. Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops. Available: http://www.aaic.org/10program.htm. Technical Abstract: Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) seed oil can serve as feedstock for advanced biofuels and may be produced more cheaply than traditional oilseeds such as soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. In cool, temperate climates such as that of the Corn Belt Region of the U.S., camelina can be grown as a winter or summer crop. Because of their short lifecycle, winter cultivars might be harvested early enough to allow producing a second crop within the same growing season. Little is known about best management practices for producing winter camelina in the northern Corn Belt or the potential to follow it with a second crop. A two-year field study was conducted in west central Minnesota to determine the optimal seeding date for two winter camelina cultivars BSX-WG1 and Joelle. Camelina was sown into either chisel plowed or no-tilled soil in the fall between early-September to mid-October at 10 to 14 d intervals. To explore the potential of double-cropping, early maturing cultivars of soybean and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and millet (Setaria italic L.) were planted immediately following camelina harvest. In both years, camelina was harvested as early as June 26 to June 30. Plant population density at harvest tended to be greatest when sown in late-September to mid-October in no-tilled soil containing small grain stubble. Likewise, seed yield was generally greatest for late-September to mid-October sowings. Joelle out yielded BSX-WG1 both years, and was as high as 1317 kg ha-1 when sown on October 1. Seed oil content, which was as high as 42%, was greatest for Joelle and tended to increase for both cultivars with later planting. Yields for soybean and sunflower sown immediately after camelina harvest ranged from 70 to 76% of their full-season counterparts, and millet yielded 7.4 to 9.9 tons ha-1 of forage. Winter camelina appears to have good winter survival in the northern Corn Belt and yields best when seeded in late-September to mid-October. Furthermore, results indicate that double cropping with camelina as a winter crop may be a viable option for farmers in the northern U.S.