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Background

Overwinter soil protection is paramount to maintaining a successful farm. Farmers need an option in their rotation that interrupts disease and pest threats while protecting soil and trapping soil moisture. Fall-seeded camelina provides growers with that option while offering post-yield possibilities as an emerging market crop.  

A late addition to the Saving Soils project, this 3-year study evaluates the performance of camelina in dryland and irrigated fields. Growers will know the optimal seeding date to avoid winter/spring frost, the best depth to accommodate available moisture, and the seeding rate to maximize yield. 

Project Details
Timeline 2023-2027
Principal Investigator: Mike Gretzinger
Farming Smarter
Project Contact: Mike Gretzinger
Funded By:

Weston Family Foundation

RBC Tech for Nature

Project Objectives

  • Identify the viability of camelina as a fall-seeded crop in dryland and irrigated fields 
  • Determine optimal seeding rates, dates, and depth to maximize emergence and yield while minimizing frost kill 
  • Determine best management practices for consistent, successful establishment of camelina 

Methods

Twelve research trials will be conducted on one dryland and irrigated location each in Lethbridge for the first year for the 3-year period.

Experimental design - Split plot design with factorially replicated plots

Locations
Lethbridge, AB

Treatments

Seeding Rates - Low (3.9 lb/acre), Medium (5.9 lb/acre), High (7.8 lb/acre)

Seeding Depth – Shallow (0.5 in), Deep (1 in)

Seeding Date - Early (first week September), Late (last week September)

Measurements

  • Plant density
  • Crop emergence
  • Yield
  • Weed density (visual)
  • Days to flowering
  • Days to maturity (2024 onwards)


Results

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Media

Project Playlist


Articles

Emerging Crop Offers Potential New Option for Rotation
Quick View

Our Saving Soils Camelina project is out of the ground! The fall-seeded project provided interesting observations for our team as they dive into the data.