Crops Gold of pleasure (Camelina sativa)

Summary Information



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Young plant

The seedlings of Camelina sativaare tiny but grow rapidly; mature plants often attain a height of 90 cm or more, and may branch freely. The leaves are bright green, narrow and pointed, the lower ones on short stalks but the upper ones clasping the stem.

Early flowering stage

Flower head

The tiny yellow flowers usually begin to open during May: they are arranged in loose clusters on the main stem and branches.

Ripening seedheads

Initially, the seedpods are small and green, later becoming rounded and ripening through a light golden-yellow colour to appear bleached when fully ripe.

Seeds

Camelina will produce acceptable yields when grown under relatively poor conditions. Many plants naturally overwinter, but any which flower during mild spells are likely to be killed by subsequent frosts, so winter sowings should be delayed to ensure that the reproductive stages are not reached before spring; spring sowings should be made by mid-April. Seed should be sown in shallow, narrow drills at a rate of 5-6 kg per ha, to establish a population of 200-250 plants per square metre. Nutrient needs are modest, 75 kg per ha of nitrogen probably being sufficient. Preemergence herbicides may be advisable since the young plants are so small, but a well-established crop should grow with sufficient vigour to suppress most weeds at later stages. Gold of pleasure is a host to pollen beetles (Meligethes spp.) but their presence does not appear to affect seed-set. The crop stands well when ripe with little seed loss: it may be combined if precautions are taken to avoid loss of the small seeds. At Sonning, winter-sown crops have generally produced higher yields than spring sowings; 2 t per ha has been achieved but around 1.5 t per ha has been more usual. There are reports of higher yields elsewhere. Until recently there has been no concerted effort to increase the yield potential and considerable improvement should be possible. The oil is not well-suited to margarine manufacture, but is being increasingly used in cosmetics and it has been suggested that it may be a cheaper source of biodiesel than oilseed rape; there is also scope for changing the fatty acid profile of the seed oil by directed breeding. Camelina is well-suited to low input regimes, and any strong market demand could lead to rapid improvement of the crop and assure a long-term future.