BioMatNet Item: AIR3-CT94-2178 - Alternative oil-seed crop

AIR3-CT94-2178
Alternative oil-seed crop - Camelina Sativa

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Summary Information

	Proposal No:	AIR3-CT94-2178
	Date Prepared:	September 1999
	Source:	Progress report 1997

Progress report 1997

Summary

Introduction The aim of the project is to establish scientific, economic and political basis for introduction of Camelina sativa (CS) as an alternative oil-seed crop in European countries. The research programme consists of two integrated parts:

studies on agronomic and environmental aspects of the cultivation of Camelina sativa at several sites
studies on the applicability of Camelina products (oil, oil-cakes and stalks) in food- and non-food industries

Objectives The specific objectives are as follows:

establishment of suitable cultivation methods adapted for local climatic and soil conditions in different countries on the basis of experience from 4 years of field trials on the basis of which environmentally friendly cultivation methods with moderate N-fertiliser and with and without application of chemicals for plant protection will be made available for dissemination at the end of the project
identification of high yielding winter and spring Camelina sativa varieties suitable for various soil and climatic conditions
qualitative evaluation of different methods for weed control including crop/weed competition and pre- and post- emergence harrowing as alternatives to herbicide application
qualitative evaluation of products with specific reference to their exploitation in industry
identification of suitable methods for exploitation of Camelina in food and non-food industry, Camelina oil-cakes in fodder industries and Camelina stalks in non-food industry
evaluation of the economic aspects of cultivation and utilisation of Camelina and its products

Results In recent years there has been an increasing interest in new sources of polyunsaturated oil in the oleochemical industry. Currently oil-seed rape is the most important oil crop grown in Northern Europe, but this species has high input requirements for both nutrients and pesticides. Camelina sativa is an under exploited oil-seed crop with a high content of OMEGA-3 fatty acids (linolenic acid). Furthermore, it is generally believed to have lower input requirements than oil- seed rape due to disease and pest resistance and a good competitive ability against weeds.

Combined results from this and previous years of field trials indicates that the optimum level of nitrogen for both spring and winter Camelina is between 70 and 100 kg/ha. Positive response of the crop to higher levels of nitrogen has been observed at some sites in some years, but in cases where the prevailing conditions (heavy wind or rain, fertile sites etc.) favour lodging - and/or when disease attacks occur - levels higher than 100 kg/ha tend to result in decreasing yields, especially in the winter crop. Compared to oil-seed rape these levels are about the same as the rates normally used for spring oil-seed rape (100 kgN/ha) and considerably lower than the rates used for winter oil-seed rape (150 kg/ha). In-both 1996 and 1997 the effects of other nutrients (S or P+S) have been small and only present at some sites and some years, indicating that the Camelina crop may not need application of these in most cases.

Diseases were again observed to be a problem in the winter crop, this year at the sites in England an Ireland, where attacks by Sclerotinia and/or Botrytis seriously limited the yield potential of the crop. None of the varieties tested seemed to have any real effective resistance against these diseases, as all varieties were infected at both sites. A key point for breeders would therefore be to identify lines with good resistance in order to avoid or limit the need for fungicides in winter Camelina crops at those sites where the problems persists. The spring crop of Camelina seems to be more tolerant to diseases, probably due to differences in the developmental stage at the time of attacks.

Results from 1997 have confirmed that the Camelina crop possesses a good competitive ability against weeds and is able to control the weed level when infestations are low. However, Treflan is still the best alternative available in those cases were high weed infestations are present, especially in the winter crop. In the spring crop mechanical and chemical weed control seemed to give more or less equal results in terms of yield level of the Camelina crop.

Compared to other commonly grown oil crops Camelina has a unique fatty acid profile with 12- 15% oleic, 13-15 % linoleic, 36-40% alpha-linolenic (OMEGA3 fatty acid) and 15-16% eicosenoic acid. Differences between varieties and climatic conditions have been observed, but these differences are limited to more than a maximum of a few percent in the material studied. However, this may be because only very few lines of both winter and spring varieties have been analysed with respect to fatty acid composition within this study. A broader variation for fatty acid composition would allow selection for lines with fatty acid profiles specifically adapted to certain industrial use similar to that successfully carried out in oil-seed rape.

Two experiments on the possible exploitation of Camelina products in feedstuffs for egg-laying hens were carried out in Denmark. A long-term experiment indicated that Camelina oil-cakes (15 % w.w) can be used for fodder without negative effects on the eggs. However, Camelina seems to have some negative effect on the metabolism of hens (lower deposition of fat) compared to soy-bean meal that needs further investigation. Unlimited access to Camelina seeds however is not recommendable. An organoleptic triangle test revealed that Camelina seeds in excess had a negative effect on the flavour and/or taste of egg yolk and white, whereas there was no effect on the meat. Camelina seeds are known to have a very specific aroma that apparently was transferred to some of the products. Previous research carried out in Denmark has indicated that the limit is 15 % w/w meal in order to avoid those effects.

Results have also been obtained on the applicability of stalks for production of paper. Biological pre-treatment of the stalks prior to extraction resulted in a pulp with higher amounts of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin and can thus be recommended compared to direct extraction from fresh stalks. Production of paper at the laboratory scale indicated that Camelina paper may have an application for decomposable wrapping material or corrugated paper.

Much research is still needed to identify the possible applications of Camelina products in industry. The long term uncertainties of the project has caused some delay in parts of the agroindustrial activities. These remaining sub-tasks will be carried out during 1998.

Discussion During the first three years of the project valuable information on the agronomy of winter and spring nutritional regimes, weed control etc, have-been obtained, whereas there is still a considerable amount of information to be gained on the industrial application of Camelina products.

Camelina can be grown with lower inputs of nutrients and pesticides than required for oil-seed rape. Pests and weeds can cause problems, especially in the winter crop, whereas insects do not seem to constitute a problem. For each of the local climatic conditions, promising varieties of both winter and spring Camelina have been identified that can be used for further research within the programme. Furthermore, information on the optimum sowing dates and seed rates have been obtained.

Results from 1997 indicated that Camelina oil-cake can be used in feedstuffs for egg-laying hens without any negative effects on the eggs. However, unlimited access to Camelina is not recommended, as this was shown to affect the flavour and/or taste of egg yolk and white after a short term feeding experiment.

Results concerning the production of paper from Camelina at laboratory scale have shown that it may be suitable for wrapping and corrugated paper.