The growth, development, and agronomic management of Camelina sativa

Over the 2013/2014 growing season a Camelina growth trial was undertaken at Ashley Dene, Canterbury, New Zealand to determine the response to different sowing dates, sowing rates and the application of plant growth regulators. This was done to analyse how the crop grows and develops in New Zealand conditions and the effect that agronomic mangement has. There were three sowing dates spread out over the spring period and three different sowing rates 2,4 and 6 kg ha⁻¹ of 'Calena' and a treatment of 1L/ha Cycocel® plant growth regular was applied to half the subplots. Emergence, plant populations, plant characteristics, growth stages, biomass yields, seed yields, weed yields and oil content was measured. It was clear from emergence counts that there was significant seedling deaths for sowing date one and two with maximum survival being 31% and 56% respectively, compared to a minimum of 96% for sowing date three and this was attributed to herbicide interaction with cold temperatures. Consequently seed yield was highest for sowing date 3 on 1211 kg ha⁻¹ compared to 883 kg ha⁻¹ and 577 kg ha⁻¹ for sowing date one and two. However despite the significant population decrease sowing date one and three had similar biomass yields. Sowing rate interactions however were consistent and seed yield, biomass and density all increased with increasing sowing rate. Plant growth regulators only effected plant height and were unnecessary as there was no lodging observed. This experiment proved that sowing date has more effect on biomass yield than sowing rate and lodging is not a significant issue in Camelina. It also proved how sensitive Camelina is to herbicide damage