Low-input cultivation of camelina (<em>Camelina sativa</em> (L.) Crantz) in a Mediterranean semi-arid environment
The cultivation of oil crops for biofuel production has often been accused of not being environmentally sustainable due to the high inputs needed. To explore the effect of reduced input on productive and qualitative traits of camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz), a trial was carried out o...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Italian Journal of Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.agronomy.it/index.php/agro/article/view/1728 |
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| Summary: | The cultivation of oil crops for biofuel production has often been accused of not being
environmentally sustainable due to the high inputs needed. To explore the effect of reduced input on
productive and qualitative traits of camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz), a trial was carried out
over a two-year period. This study analyzed two different levels of input: a low input treatment
(shallow non-inversion tillage and low fertilization rate) and a high input treatment (deeper tillage
and high fertilization rate).
Camelina was positively, even though to a limited extent, affected by high input treatment as
highlighted by the increase in seed yield (from 1.8 to 2.0 t ha-1), crop residues (from 4.8 to 5.2 t ha-
1), seed protein content (from 26.5 to 28.9%), seed oil content (from 41.5 to 43.4%) and oil yield
(from 0.75 to 0.88 t ha-1). So, from a sustainable point of view, we must consider negligible the effect
of high input and satisfactory the performances of camelina in the low input regime. Low input
management resulted in satisfactory yields in terms of both quantity and quality, results which were
not very different from high input, indicating promising potential for conservation agriculture
practices in camelina in a semi-arid environment. |
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| ISSN: | 1125-4718 2039-6805 |