Guide for Producing Dryland Camelina in Eastern Colorado Fact Sheet No. 0.709 Crop Series|Production J.N. Enjalbert and J.J. Johnson* Camelina is an annual crop with small • Camelina meal contains Quick Facts seed that has been cultivated in Europe approximately 40% protein, is high for more than a thousand years. Eastern in Omega-3 fatty acid content, • Eastern Colorado’s wheat- Colorado’s wheat-based, cropping system and low in erucic acid content and based, cropping system covers more than 4 million acres and spring- glucosinolates. covers more than 4 million planted camelina would fit well into a dryland acres and spring-planted crop rotation. Camelina is a short, relatively Potential problems for camelina would fit well into a shallow-rooted, short-season, crop requiring dryland crop rotation. 85 to 100 days from emergence to maturity. growing dryland spring The seed contains approximately 30–35% oil camelina in eastern • Unlike spring canola and and can produce 40 or more gallons per acre Colorado Indian brown mustard, of clean vegetable oil and potentially 900 lb/ac • The primary production challenges camelina is tolerant of flea of high-protein animal meal. are stand establishment and weed beetles and other insects. control. • Camelina can be grown Potential benefits of growing • An effective weed control method is under tilled or no-till dryland to plant camelina in late winter/early dryland spring camelina in conditions. Excessive spring into a clean field. Camelina eastern Colorado crop residue can reduce can be planted from the end of • Camelina production requires the February to the first week of April in emergence so seeding rates same equipment as wheat. eastern Colorado. might need to be increased. • Typical seeding rates are 5 to 7 lb/ac • Camelina is sensitive to damage from and seed cost is approximately $2/lb. sulfonylurea (SU) herbicide residuals • Camelina requires little fertilization. such as Ally, Amber, and triazine See Fertilization below. herbicides. • Unlike spring canola and Indian • Shallow (¼ in.) planting is critical to brown mustard, camelina is tolerant good stand establishment and good of flea beetles and other insects. seed-to-soil contact. • Camelina has been relatively disease- • Weed control in open areas is more free in eastern Colorado. of a threat than lower yields due to • Camelina branches easily, fills in poor stands. blank spaces, and is more drought • Camelina seed yields have been and heat-tolerant than other brassica variable in eastern Colorado, crops. ranging from 300 to 1600 lb/ac in • Until its pods ripen, camelina is experimental plots. Crop yields vary less susceptible to hail damage than but camelina yields have been more most other crops grown in eastern variable than what we have observed Colorado. in many other crops in eastern • Camelina can be direct-harvested Colorado and the reasons for this given its pods mature quite uniformly yield variation of camelina have not on the plant. been identified. • Reliable markets for camelina need to ©Colorado State University be developed. Extension. 7/11. www.ext.colostate.edu *J.N. Enjalbert, Colorado State University graduate student, department of soil and crop sciences; J.J. Johnson, Colorado State University Extension specialist, crop production. 7/11 Table 1: Residual sulfonylurea herbicide damage to camelina. wheels on the planter to ensure good seed- Herbicide (active Weeds controlled Labeled Crop Residuals for to-soil contact. Camelina can be planted ingredient) camelina with a wheat drill, or broadcast and then Ally/ Escort (Metsulfuron) Broadleaf weeds Wheat/Barley and CRP >24 months pressed into moist soil. Seed can also be land broadcast with fertilizer. Some producers Amber (Triasulfuron) Broadleaf weeds Winter and spring >24 months may prefer to plant camelina seed with an wheat alfalfa seed attachment on the wheat drill Express (Tribenuron) Annual broadleaf Wheat/Barley >24 months or plant with an alfalfa seeder. Camelina weeds should be planted at 5–7 lb/ac. There are Atrazine (triazine) Broadleaf weeds Corn/Fallow >18 months about 500,000 camelina seed/lb. Seeding rate should be increased to 7 lb/ac if soil moisture in not optimal, if the field has a Rotation (2011), the only regionally available history of crusting, or if there is excessive camelina variety is Pronghorn. It is an crop residue. Following summer crops (corn, early-maturing variety bred and released sunflower, sorghum, or proso millet), by Charlie Rife (High Plains Crop Weed control camelina can be planted early. Harvested Development, LLC) in Torrington, WY. from mid-to-late July, the soil can store Colorado State University has conducted The best weed control approach is to moisture from late July to mid-September camelina variety trials for multiple years at plant early into a field that was relatively before planting winter wheat. When Akron, Iliff, and Fort Collins under dryland weed-free. Early planting and good stand moisture allows, it’s possible to harvest and irrigated conditions. Camelina varieties establishment, allows camelina to compete three crops in three years instead of two Ligena, Celine, Cheyenne, and Blaine Creek well with weeds so herbicide applications crops in three years. Camelina would have performed well but seed of these may not be necessary. Emerged weeds replace fallow, provide an energy crop, varieties would have to be found from can be controlled with glyphosate applied and not compete with a critical food crop. outside the region. immediately before planting camelina. Insufficient precipitation after camelina Pronghorn – Early maturity, will be in Currently, Poast® (a BASF post-emergence harvest and before wheat planting could Colorado yield trials for first time in 2011. grass control product) is the only herbicide reduce subsequent wheat yields. Camelina Cheyenne – Medium to late maturity, labeled for camelina and is a grass crop residue decomposes readily and is not stable yield and 32.4% oil content in CSU herbicide. Therefore, no broadleaf weed expected to be a problem for tilled or no-till trials (Johnson and Enjalbert, 2011). control is available in crop. wheat planting. Ligena – European variety, late maturity, tall, high yielding, and 31.8% oil content in Field selection CSU trials. Camelina breeding Celine – European variety, medium Some residual (carry over in the soil) maturity, highest yielding variety, 32.4% oil programs, varieties, and herbicides from preceding crops are content in CSU trials. contact information important to avoid. Camelina is damaged Blaine Creek – Medium maturity, by the residual sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides average yield, and 32.3% oil content in CSU High Plains Crop Development, LLC. in Table 1. trials. Varieties: Cheyenne and Pronghorn. In areas with a soil pH higher than 7.0 Breeder: Charlie Rife. Location: and with prolonged periods of low soil Torrington WY. Phone: (307) 575-4580. temperature and low annual rainfall, the SU Planting considerations Price: 2$/lb herbicides can remain active in the soil for Camelina is cold-tolerant and can be 2-4 years or more and they can injure non- planted from late February to mid-April in Montana State University. Varieties: tolerant rotational crops such as camelina. eastern Colorado without too much risk of Blaine Creek, Sunesson and Celine. Camelina can be grown under tilled or experiencing freeze damage. Early planting Breeder: Biobased Products Institute. no-till dryland conditions as long as there can help to control weeds. Planting into Site: www.montana.edu/biobased/ is no residual SU or triazine herbicides moisture is critical. Camelina seed will remaining in the soil, that good seed-to- germinate and emerge at soil temperatures Sustainable Oils (Target Growth, Inc.). moist soil contact must be obtained at at or above 36°F. Early planting leads to Varieties: SO-10, SO-20 and SO-30. planting, and an effective weed control early emergence, flowering, and maturity Contact: Mike Waring. Phone: (406) in camelina can be difficult due to lack of which improves the chances of escaping registered products. Excessive crop residue 788-2433. E-mail: Mike.Waring@ high temperatures during pollination. susoils.com. Site: www.susoil.com can reduce emergence so seeding rates Planting after April 15 in eastern Colorado might need to be increased. may subject the crop to high temperatures Great Plains Oil. Variety: Yellow during flowering, which will likely reduce Stone. Contact: Great Plains Oil Variety selection yields. Planting early, in cool temperatures, & Exploration, LLC. 1 Enfield reduces the risk of drying out the soil Street, Cincinnati, OH 45218. Camelina variety selection is highly surface and reducing emergence. Plant Site: www.camelinacompany.com dependent on seed availability. This spring camelina ¼-inch deep and use the press- Fertilization Marketing camelina Colorado crushing facilities Soil sampling is always recommended. A reliable market for camelina should Soil nitrogen and organic matter content be identified prior to planting. This fact and expected yield determine how much sheet targets on-farm production of Rocky Ford. Big Squeeze. Managers/ nitrogen should be applied. Assuming camelina as a petroleum fuel substitute owners: Hal Holder and Joel a common residual nitrogen level in a and on-farm use of camelina meal. Lundquist. Phone: (719) 241-1128. dryland wheat-based cropping system and Mechanically extracted camelina meal Contact: Dr. Perry E. Cabot, Extension a camelina seed yield target of 1200 lb/ac, contains approximately 13% fat and 40% water resources specialist. Phone: 20-40 lb N/ac may need to be incorporated protein, making it similar to other oilseed (719) 549-2045. prior to planting. Camelina has not meals. The quantities of glucosinolates been shown to respond to phosphorus, and other anti-nutritional factors are Burlington (Stratton). Chuck Clapper. potassium, or sulfur applications at current relatively low in camelina meal. (Böhme, yields in our cropping systems. and Flachowsky, 2005). The Food and Phone: (719) 349-2183. Drug Administration (FDA) has approved camelina meal use in cattle feed at a level San Luis Valley (Costilla County).