Winter Camelina

Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] also called false flax, linseed dodder, or gold-of-pleasure is a short-season annual oilseed crop in the Brassicaceae family with agronomic low-input features that has been produced for the oil in Europe for over 3000 years (Putnam el al., 1993, Zubr, 1997). Popularity of camelina has increases due to its unique oil composition, biofuel properties, potential for feed or food, and winter hardiness. Camelina has the ability to adapt across many environments, allowing its cultivation from Canada, Northern and Central Plains, and into the Corn Belt region (Gesch et al., 2014). This can be attributed to camelina’s relatively high level of tolerance to drought and low temperature stress. Because of camelina’s desirable agronomic traits, further research is being done to improve wide adoption of cultivation and cover crops use.