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Oilseed Production
(Feedstock for biodiesel, edible oils, and
numerous other industrial/commercial products)
The key driver for the introduction of bioenergy
crops in the Pacific Northwest is the need to introduce viable
alternative crops into rotations with staple cereals in the
dryland region, such as wheat, or high-value vegetable crops
in the irrigated region, such as potatoes. Crop rotation helps
break weed, disease and pest cycles, can improve nutrient management,
and can improve the economic performance of farms and communities.
For instance, due to the work of Andy McGuire and the Prosser
Integrated Farming Systems Group, the use of mustard green manures
as a biofumigant in rotation with potatoes has grown from 400
to more than 20,000 acres in the last few years. Farmers are
reducing the use of pesticides and saving approximately $45
- 65 per acre in potato production.
To produce oilseeds in the Pacific Northwest
as a feedstock for biodiesel, we are essentially asking our
producers to take on an added element of risk by producing a
new, low-value crop which has not been profitable to date in
our region. The limited success we have had to date in producing
oilseeds in the region is the result of more than two decades
of tri-state, multi-university / agency cooperation in breeding,
agronomic trials and extension. A great deal of progress has
been made in developing and commercializing these feedstock
crops, but there are still major production obstacles, such
as stand establishment, lack of frost hadiness and tolerance
to the extreme heat we experience, residue management, weed
competition, harvesting difficulties, and tremendous yield variability
(due to moisture sensitivity) as well as the fact that we still
do not have locally adapted varieties for much of our producing
region. Diana Roberts, a WSU Extension agronomist, says “it
takes a lot of faith [for a farmer] to plant these tiny seeds”.
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Oilseed crop research
activities at WSU
- Bioenergy
Crop Activities at WSU. January 2006 -- This document
details the extent of bioenergy crop activities at WSU,
including oilseed production.
- Enterprise
Budgeting for spring and winter canola production.
Research Leads: Kathleen Painter, Herb Hinman, Dennis
Roe (NRCS). Evaluation of profitability for spring
and winter canola production in the Pacific Northwest has
been conducted, with the most recent versions of enterprise
budgets completed in spring of 2006.
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Paterson Irrigated Biofuel
Variety Trials. Research Leads: Hal Collins
(ARS), Rick Boydston, Ashok Alva, An Hang and Steve Fransen.
We have initiated a series of trials evaluating a number
of oilseed crops grown to maturity for an emerging biodiesel
market and to determine how they will fit into current
high value irrigated vegetable cropping systems. We are
evaluating five oil seed crops that can be grown in the
PNW, as well as, nationally. These include: spring and
winter rapeseed, mustard, sunflower, safflower and soybean.
For each of these crops the general production practices;
date of planting, flowering, harvest date, oil production
etc. fertility, pest management, irrigation and soil quality
issues will need to be addressed for this industry to
become sustainable and economically sound for U.S. agriculture.
Early results of the trials have been presented at field
days and grower meetings. Publication of results from
the first two years of the trial is anticipated in the
winter of 05/06. Expansion of the biofuel trial to dryland
sites is under consideration.
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Biofuel Trials for Western
Washington. Research Leads: Tim Miller and
Mike Hackett. Testing of potential rotational crops
that may be grown in western Washington as an oil source
for biodiesel production. Four fall crops (rapeseed, white
mustard, Oriental mustard) and six spring crops (white
mustard, Oriental mustard, canola) were seeded near Monroe
WA (2004-05). Crops were swathed and seed threshed during
summer 2005, and oil content of that seed will be estimated
this fall. Based on the preliminary data, additional testing
of varieties may occur during 2005-06.
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Long-term cropping system trials
– intermediate rainfall zone. Research
Lead: Bill Schillinger. We have evaluated canola,
safflower, and mustard in cropping systems trails at the
WSU Dryland Research Station at Lind and at an ongoing
long-term (currently in its 10th year) on-farm cropping
systems study near Ritzville. This research has documented
the environmental, agronomic and economic performance
of these systems. Several publications (academic and popular)
have been developed which document the performance of
these crops and cropping systems. The feasibility of dwarf
sunflowers is currently being evaluated at the Lind Station.
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On-farm trials of mustard and
safflower in the intermediate rainfall zone.
Research Lead: Aaron Esser. We are completing
a 4-year series of on-farm trials at Mark Sheffels farm
looking at the economic feasibility of yellow mustard
in comparison to spring barley in a direct seed crop rotation
which is applicable to most of the intermediate dryland
rainfall cropping region. Last year, in cooperation with
Karl Kupers, three different safflower varieties were
examined with an interest in feasibility as bio-energy
crops. Safflower and mustard are also a key component
of our long-term cropping systems trials on the Wilke
Research Farm in Davenport.
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Safflower development.
Research Lead: Richard Johnson. Safflower (42
to 48 percent oil) has been identified as a potential
oilseed crop for the dryer regions of the Pacific Northwest
due to its high oil content and for its potential to control
weeds in rotation with wheat. A fall planted germplasm
of safflower has been identified and selection of improved
types completed. Fall planted safflower should be more
productive than spring planted types and mature earlier
making it a more suitable oilseed crop for the dyer areas
of the Inland Northwest. This germplasm is planned to
be adapted by crossing with safflower lines with high
oil quantity and yield potential for selection of improved
types worthy of commercial production. Safflower oil should
useful as biodiesel and safflower residue should be tested
as a potential fuel. Proposed activities: Spring planted
safflower that could also be used for biofuel and cultivars
are available and need to be evaluated. In addition, breeding
safflower specifically for biofuel is under consideration.
Safflower, as a broad-leaf crop, has great potential in
providing a system to control grass weeds in dryer wheat
producing areas and needs to be evaluated.
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Long-term, conservation tillage,
integrated cropping systems in the low rainfall region
of the PNW. Research Leads: Frank Young and
Bill Pan. We have conducted long-term, field scale,
multi/interdisciplinary cropping systems research in the
high end (11.5) of the low rainfall zone for 12 years.
The research has involved 10 to 14 scientists from eight
disciplines from three universities as well as the USDA.
We have examined the agronomic, economic, and environmental
feasibility of various crops to replace or supplement
the erosive winter wheat/fallow system. Oilseed crops
we have examined include safflower, spring canola, spring
mustard and winter canola. Major problems in the production
of these crops are crop establishment and broadleaf weed
control. Other unknown factors for these crops are optimum
seeding rate, seeding date, fertility, varietal selection,
planting procedures, and areas of production.
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Long-term research of alternative
crops at the Palouse Conservation Field Station and the
Cunningham Agronomy Farm (1997 to present). Research
Leads: Dave Huggins, Jim Cook, Claudio Stockle. Field
research on alternative crops including biofuels (canola,
mustard, safflower and flax). Crops are assessed to evaluate
spatio-temporal agronomic performance (emergence, yield),
management practices, crop rotation options and benefits.
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Modeling yield potential and
cropping system benefits. Research Leads:
Dave Huggins, Claudio Stockle. WSU has developed
a comprehensive dynamic cropping systems model called
CropSyst over the past decade. This model provides capabilities
of exploring a variety of research and production questions
more rapidly than traditional cropping system research
is able to. For instance, the impacts that introducing
an oilseed in rotation with wheat may have on such factors
as soil carbon sequestration of atmospheric CO2 for any
given soil type in Eastern Washington can be reliably
predicted. The reliability of CropSyst is based upon continual
ground-truthing with experimental field data collected
at various cropping systems research projects in the region
for the past 30 years. A recent output from the CropSyst
model is a set of anticipated yield maps for various oilseeds
in the dryland regions of Washington and Idaho. Farmers
can cross reference these anticipated yield maps with
economic analyses of various production costs for oilseeds
to determine whether it will be profitable to plant an
oilseed given a contracted price. Processors could use
these yield maps to determine where the most efficient
site might be locate a crushing and refining facility
(the economics of crushing are directly correlated to
transportation of raw feedstock to the facility).
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Crucifer seed industry
discussions
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Updated
May 16, 2006
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Triple
BIOTM:
BIOAgTM,
BIOEnergy, and BIOProducts
A
vision to support the emergence of a sustainable bioeconomy in Washington
State
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