Sowing date and sowing method influence on camelina cultivars grain yield, oil concentration, and biodiesel production. (26th March 2019) - Neupane, Dhurba
Abstract: Sowing date and sowing method can have a profound influence on the productivity of alternative crops like camelina in semiarid agroecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sowing date, sowing method, and cultivar on morphology, phenology, grain yield, oil concentration, oil, and biodiesel production of camelina. A 2‐year study was carried out at the University of Nevada, Reno Main Station Field Laboratory, during the spring to early summer of 2016 and 2017. Treatments were two sowing dates (SD) of 18 March 2016 (early SD) and 17 April 2016 (late SD) in Year 1 and 11 April 2017 (early SD) and 11 May 2017 (late SD) in Year 2. The change in SD in the second year was due to the excessively wet field condition preventing land preparation and sowing. There were two sowing methods (SM) imposed (broadcast and drill) and three cultivars of camelina (Blaine Creek, Columbia, and Pronghorn) arranged in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial in a randomized complete block design experiment with four replications. Responses were considered different if p < 0.05. Grain yield of camelina was influenced by SD in Year 1 and SD × SM interaction in Year 2. In Year 1, grain yield was greater for early (921 kg/ha) compared to late SD (503 kg/ha, SE = 101). In Year 2, for early SD grain yield was not different between SM (average = 594 kg/ha), but for late, it was greater for drill (676 kg/ha) than broadcast (130 kg/ha, SE = 75). For broadcast SM, grain yield was greater for early (587 kg/ha) compared to late SD (130 kg/ha, SE = 75), but for drill SM, grain yield was not different between SD (average = 639 kg/ha). Oil concentration was affected by SD in both years, and in Year 1, for example, it was greater for early (295 g/kg) versus late SD (284 g/kg SE = 2.7). Both oil and biodiesel production followed a similar pattern to grain yield in this study. Based on the magnitude of differences observed in both years of this study, late SD and broadcast sowing are not viable options for farmers who want to venture into camelina production in Nevada. Abstract : The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sowing date, sowing method, and cultivar on morphology, phenology, grain yield, oil concentration, oil, and biodiesel production of camelina. Grain yield of camelina was influenced by SD in Year 1 and SD × SM interaction in Year 2. In Year 1, grain yield was greater for early (921 kg/ha) compared to late SD (503 kg/ha, SE = 101).Based on the magnitude of differences observed in both years of this study, late SD and broadcast sowing are not viable options for farmers who want to venture into camelina production in Nevada.