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Camelina

Camelina field.

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is an ancient crop found in northern Europe, which was largely displaced by the major oilseed crops in the latter half of the last century. It is also known as false flax, or gold-of-pleasure. Camelina is a member of the mustard family, like canola. In recent years, there has been increased interest in camelina as an oilseed crop for biofuels in dryland agricultural regions of the western U.S. and the Great Plains. There is additional interest in camelina oil because of its unique fatty acid profile, which could make it useful for both industrial and nutritional purposes.

Extension Publications

Camelina: Effects of Planting Date and Method on Stand Establishment and Seed Yield

Camelina has drawn keen interest in recent years because of research showing the seed oil could be used for human and animal consumption as well as commercial and military aircraft fuel. The objective of our research was to evaluate the effects of several planting dates and two planting methods on camelina stand establishment and seed yield in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Field experiments were conducted for three years at four distinct rainfed agro-environments in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Camelina was planted on an average of five dates at each site from early October to mid-April by either drilling seed at a shallow depth or broadcasting seed on the soil surface. The best plant stands were achieved with the late-winter and early-spring plantings. Both drilling and broadcast were effective for planting camelina with no overall advantage of either method at any site. Seed yields ranged from less than 90 lb/acre to 2600 lb/acre. Based on the overall differences in annual precipitation and other circumstances that occurred across the four agro-environments during the three-year study, we were able to conclude that (i) late February–early March is the best planting date range for optimum stands and seed yield and (ii) broadcast seeding is the best method of planting because it requires the least amount of time and expense.

Camelina Production in the Dryland Pacific Northwest

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is an ancient crop found in northern Europe, which was largely displaced by the major oilseed crops in the latter half of the last century. It is also known as false flax, or gold-of-pleasure. Camelina is a member of the mustard family, like canola. In recent years, there has been increased interest in camelina as an oilseed crop for biofuels in dryland agricultural regions of the western U.S. and the Great Plains. There is additional interest in camelina oil because of its unique fatty acid profile, which could make it useful for both industrial and nutritional purposes.

Visit the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences site to see all the CSS Field Day Abstracts.

  • Babiker, E.M., S.H. Hulbert and T.C. Paulitz. 2012. Detection, Seed Transmission, and Chemical Control of Downy Mildew Disease of Camelina in Washington State. Poster presentation at Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 13, 2012.
  • Chastain, T.G., S.O. Guy, W.F. Schillinger, D.J. Wysocki, and R.S. Karow. 2011. Camelina: Genotype and Environment Impacts on Seed Yield in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. [CD-ROM]. American Society of Agronomy annual meeting, 16-20 Oct., San Antonio, TX. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Abstracts.
  • Hulbert, S. 2011. Development of Camelina as a Northwest Oilseed Crop. Oral presentation in: Biofuels Crops – The Future is Now session 3D at: Washington Future Energy Conference. Seattle, WA. Oct. 18-19, 2011.
  • Schillinger, W.F., D.J. Wysocki, T.G. Chastain, S.O. Guy, and R.S. Karow. 2011. Camelina: Planting Date and Method Impacts on Stands and Seed Yield in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho [CD-ROM]. American Society of Agronomy annual meeting, 16-20 Oct., San Antonio, TX. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Abstracts.
  • Wysocki, D.J., W.F. Schillinger, S.O. Guy, T.G. Chastain, and R.S. Karow. 2011. Camelina: Grain Yield and Protein Response to Applied Nitrogen in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. CD-ROM]. American Society of Agronomy annual meeting, 16-20 Oct., San Antonio, TX. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Abstracts.
  • Guy, S. and M. Lauver. 2010. Camelina is a Potential Oilseed Crop for Washington. Poster. 2010 Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 8-10, 2010.
  • Hulbert, S. 2010. Adaptability of Camelina as a Northwest Oilseed Crop. Oral presentation at: Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 8-10, 2010.
  • Neff, M., J. Zhao, P. Koirala, J. Qiu, and D. Favero. 2010. Manipulation of AHL Genes in Arabidopsis and Camelina to Increase Seed Size, Seedling Height and Stand Establishment in Dry Soils. Poster session at: Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 8-10, 2010.
  • Walsh, D., E. Babiker, I. Burke, and S. Hulbert. 2010. Herbicide Resistant Camelina: Adapting an Oilseed Crop to PNW Cropping Systems. Poster session at: Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 8-10, 2010.
  • Guy, S. 2009. Camelina Seed and Agronomic Production for Biodiesel. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Abstr. 52133, Pittsburg, PA.

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Samantha Crow
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