New Crop Opportunity for Semiarid Dryland Production Systems

Situation More than 63% of the petroleum we need daily is imported, with steady increases projected. Our national security is threatened by this growing dependence on foreign oil, and we need to reverse the trend. A key segment of the nation's farmers in the Central High Plains region of the western U.S. (with access to nearly 6 million marginal dryland acres) can play an important role in this effort if provided with the right tools and economic incentives. Those tools and incentives involve the development and broad deployment of new, dryland oilseed crops to support biofuels production. Important early work has been done by Montana State University, Blue Sun Biodiesel, and other universities and growers in semiarid western states. Although the work is preliminary, the data obtained indicates it is necessary and worthwhile to conduct the next phase of R&D in multiple locations throughout this region to 1) establish camelina's broad-based feasibility as a major new energy crop, and 2) identify the best management practices (BMPs) that farmers will need to produce the crop profitably. Blue Sun and its collaborators at CSU, UNL, and KSU have obtained key preliminary data on camelina's water use efficiency, herbicide efficacy, and best management practices. Verification of camelina's superior water use efficiency, its primary benefit over other oilseed producing crops, is needed. And demonstration of herbicide efficacy is needed to begin the process of registering herbicides to effectively control weed populations. Purpose This project addresses the USDA's "high priority" focus upon pursuit of renewable energy opportunities. Validation of camelina as a practical, low-cost energy crop and high-value rotational crop candidate in the Central High Plains will support the nation's fast growing biodiesel industry while providing new economic opportunities for farmers.