Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola
Varieties in Response to Differential Irrigation in the
Klamath Basin, 2008
Richard J. Roseberg and Rachel A. Shuck1
Introduction
The recent increase in energy prices and political instability in the Middle East
has sparked renewed interest in alternative energy sources and technologies both locally
and nationally. Biodiesel is an appealing transportation fuel source for many reasons: it
readily substitutes for petroleum diesel, it tends to burn cleaner with fewer pollutants, it
can be made from many plant-based oil sources, and it can be produced on a large or
small scale. Biodiesel can be made from many oilseed crops. However, the most prolific
oil producers per acre tend to be tropical or subtropical crops such as palm oil, castor, and
1
Associate Professor and Faculty Research Assistant, respectively, Klamath Basin Research and Extension
Center, Klamath Falls, OR.
Acknowledgements: Seed for these trials was provided by the University of Idaho Brassica Breeding and
Research program and by private seed companies.
Reference to a product or company is for specific information only and does not endorse or recommend
that product or company to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
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Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
soybean. Some temperate oilseed crops, such as sunflower, meadowfoam, and flax, have
higher value end-uses than biodiesel. Therefore, much of the research on oilseeds for
biodiesel in temperate regions has focused on rapeseed/canola, and more recently,
another oilseed crop called camelina (Camelina sativa). Please see the separate report of
camelina research we conducted in 2008.
Some species in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) have been used for centuries
as an oil source for lamp oil, lubricants, and cooking. In recent decades, industrial
rapeseed oil has been produced almost exclusively from two species, Brassica napus and
Brassica rapa. Rapeseed oil is characterized by high levels of erucic acid and
glucosinolate compounds. Erucic acid is not edible, but has good properties for high
performance lubricants, and is thus used for those purposes. Glucosinolates are bioactive
compounds that give the spicy bitterness, or ‘hotness’ to the taste of hot mustards. Canola
is defined as a specific oilseed crop from the mustard family whose seed oil contains less
than 2% erucic acid, and also that the solid component of the seed contains less than 30
micromoles of glucosinolate per gram of solid (Canola Council of Canada, 1986). Canola
was bred in Canada, with the initial variety released in 1974. The word ‘canola’ was
originally a trademarked name (standing for ‘CANadian Oil, Low Acid’), but is now a
more generic term referring to brassica plants and their oil that fit the erucic acid and
glusosinolate criteria.
Currently, approximately 12 million acres of canola is grown in Canada, the most
of any nation. About 1 million acres are grown annually in the US, with North Dakota
and Minnesota accounting for over 90% of the US total. Farmers in Washington, Oregon,
and Idaho grow several thousand acres in each state per year. With the recent increase in
energy prices, canola has been tested and grown on a smaller scale in many regions of the
country.
Research Justification and Objectives
We found no evidence of oilseed-to-biodiesel research or commercialization
efforts in the arid south central Oregon plateau, including the Klamath Basin, prior to
2005. Much of this region has irrigation water available, and oilseed crops that are suited
to a cooler climate such as canola, industrial rapeseed, mustards (Sinapsis alba and
Brassica juncea), and camelina seemed to have a possible fit with existing crops such as
potatoes, grass and alfalfa hay, and small grains.
In 2006 we began evaluating canola and related species. In 2007 our canola
studies included response of 19 spring varieties of canola and other brassicas to two
levels of irrigation (Roseberg et al., 2007). The higher rate of irrigation tended to increase
yield somewhat, but increased vegetative growth more than seed yield, and response to
irrigation varied somewhat between varieties. The objective of the 2008 study was to
repeat the approach of the 2007 study using a smaller, yet representative group of
commercially available spring varieties, some repeated from 2007. We measured their
growth, seed yield, and oil yield when grown under two levels of irrigation to further
determine the effects of reduced moisture availability as well as to determine which
varieties were more tolerant of moisture stress.
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
Procedures
The canola variety and irrigation rate trials were conducted at the KBREC
research farm on mineral soil (Poe fine sandy loam), on land that had been seeded to
spring wheat in 2007. Within each irrigation treatment block, the eight entries were
seeded in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Entries included
named varieties (including two conventional canolas, four Roundup®-Ready canolas, and
two yellow mustards). Seed was seeded at 0.5 inch depth. Seeding rates were based on
recommendations of researchers at the University of Idaho and private company
professionals, and were as follows: Pacific Gold yellow mustard was seeded at a rate of
5.0 lb/ac, Clearwater canola was seeded at
7.0 lb/ac, while all other entries were
seeded at 8.0 lb/ac. All entries were seeded
with a tractor-mounted Kincaid (Kincaid
Equipment Mfg.) plot seed drill on May 12
(‘wet’ treatment block), and May 13 (‘dry’
treatment block). The plots were 20.0 by
4.5 ft, (9 rows at 6-inch spacing), with a
harvested area of 13.0 by 4.5 ft. Trifluralin
(Treflan®) herbicide was applied May 8 at
2.0 pint/ac (1.0 lb a.i./ac) incorporated
before seeding with a roto-tiller. No
additional herbicides were applied during the season.
All plots were fertilized with 50 lb/ac N, 62 lb/ac P2O5, 0 lb/ac K2O, and 46 lb/ac
S banded at seeding (applying 16-20-0-15 fertilizer at 310 lb/ac). An additional 70 lb/ac
N was applied as Solution 32 on July 2 through the irrigation water.
Solid-set sprinklers arranged in a 40- by 40-ft pattern were used for irrigation. The area
received 2.58 inches of precipitation from
May 1-August 31, with nearly 2/3 of that
total falling in May (Table 1). The entire
area was irrigated uniformly until plants
were fully emerged. Crop water use
estimates from the US Bureau of
Reclamation Agricultural Meteorological
(AgriMet) weather station at KBREC were
then used to apply irrigation at a rate to
meet crop needs for the full growing
season in the ‘wet’ treatment block (US
Bureau of Reclamation, 2008). The ‘dry’
treatment block received about 70% the
amount of irrigation applied to the ‘wet’ block after the initial germination period (Table
1). Plots were swathed with a Swift Mfg. plot swather on September 5 when
approximately 1/3 to 2/3 (varying depending on variety) of the seeds had turned brown.
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
Seed was harvested from all plots using a Hege (Hans-Ulrich Hege) plot combine with a
4.5-ft-wide header on September 8.
Data collected at KBREC included lodging percent, plant height, date of full
flowering, grain yield, and test weight. Cleaned seed samples were sent to the Brassica
Breeding and Research Lab (Dr. Jack Brown) at the University of Idaho to measure seed
oil content, which also allowed calculation of oil yield. All measured parameters were
analyzed statistically using SAS® for Windows, Release 9.1 (SAS Institute, Inc.)
software. Treatment significance was based on the F test at the P=0.05 level. If this
analysis indicated significant treatment effects, least significant difference (LSD) values
were calculated based on the student’s t test at the 5% level. Because the irrigation blocks
were not replicated, analysis of variance could not be used to calculate statistical
comparisons between irrigation treatments, but general observations of the effects of
increased or decreased irrigation on any particular measured parameter could be made.
Results and Discussion
Soil moisture was good
during seedbed preparation, and
resulting germination and stand
density appeared to be good. Weed
pressure was light and did not seem
to impact crop growth. Harvest
occurred later in 2008 than in 2007
due to the later seeding date.
Lodging was minimal in all trials.
Seed yields overall were
lower in 2008 than in 2007.
Unusually warm weather shortly
after seeding may have stressed
plants during germination, although
there seemed to be adequate rainfall and precipitation in May. However, several days of
frost in early to mid-June may have reduced stand density and/or vigor. There were
relatively few hot days during the season (only six days with maximum temperatures
above 90oF, with none over 100oF). Most of those hot days occurred in mid-August, after
flowering, but during the time when the seed pods were filling, which may have also
reduced yield. The relatively high rate of N fertilizer applied in 2008 should have been
sufficient to support a higher yield than was observed.
When comparing 2008 results to those observed in 2007, it should be noted that in
2008, the ‘dry’ treatment block received somewhat more irrigation than it did in 2007
relative to the ‘wet’ block, but both areas received less total irrigation and rainfall in 2008
than they did in 2007. In fact, the total moisture received by the ‘wet’ block in 2008 was
only slightly more than the amount received by the ‘dry’ block in 2007. This increased
moisture stress also could have contributed to the lower yields observed in 2008.
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
‘Wet’ Treatment Block
There were significant differences between entries for all six measured parameters
(Table 2). Within the ‘wet’ treatment block, seed yield ranged from 905 to 2,148 lb/ac,
with a mean of 1,647 lb/ac. This trial mean was only about 2/3 of the trial mean in 2007,
and overall was also less than the yield in the 2007 ‘dry’ treatment block. In general, the
newer varieties (which all happened to have the Roundup®-Ready trait) yielded higher
than the older publicly-developed varieties, although the older variety Hyola401 did well.
As tended to be true in previous years, Pacific Gold mustard had the lowest seed yield in
2008. As in both 2006 and 2007, Idagold yellow mustard had (by far) the highest test
weight in 2008. Other than Idagold, test weight for the other entries did not vary greatly
from one another.
The 2008 entries tended to be shorter than their 2007 counterparts, and the overall
trial mean was nearly 5 inches shorter in 2008 compared to 2007, suggesting greater
stress of some type in 2008. Idagold was significantly shorter than the other entries, and
was the earliest to reach full flower. Clearwater canola was latest to reach full flower,
with only slight differences among the other entries. In this climate, where the length of
growing season is limited, an early-maturing variety could be an advantage if yield is not
limiting, especially if seeding is delayed beyond ideal as it appeared to be in 2008.
Seed oil content varied among entries, but in most cases these differences were
not enough to dramatically alter the ultimate oil yield ranking. Thus oil yield was mainly
determined by seed yield, not seed oil content. As was true in 2007, Idagold yellow
mustard had significantly lower seed oil content than the other entries.
‘Dry’ Treatment Block
There were significant differences between entries for all six measured parameters
(Table 3). As in the ‘wet’ block, Pacific Gold had the lowest seed yield and Clearwater
had either the second or third lowest seed yield. V2010 had the highest seed yield,
significantly higher than all other entries. As in the ‘wet’ block, Idagold had the highest
test weight by far, while all other entries were in a fairly narrow range. Idagold was
significantly shorter than the other entries, and was the earliest to reach full flower, which
was similar to its results in the ‘wet’ block. As was true in the ‘wet’ block, seed oil
content was lowest for the two mustard entries, and seed oil content tended to be lower in
the ‘dry’ block for all entries except Hyola357RR. Despite the variation observed for
seed oil content, oil yield generally followed the ranking for seed yield, except for
Idagold, which had the second highest seed yield, but only the sixth best oil yield due to
its low seed oil content.
Unlike 2007, seed yield was depressed overall in the ‘dry’ block compared to the
‘wet’ block in 2008. Every entry except Idagold seemed to produce higher seed yields in
the ‘wet’ treatment block, whereas Idagold’s seed yield appeared to be similar under both
irrigation regimes. As in 2007, test weights were only slightly reduced in the ‘dry’ block
compared to the ‘wet’ block.
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
In 2008, height and seed oil content also both tended to be reduced in the ‘dry’
block where moisture was more limiting, similar to relative comparison between the
‘wet’ and ‘dry’ blocks in 2007. Although plants were shorter overall in the ‘dry’ block
compared to the ‘wet’ block in 2008, ‘dry’ block heights in 2008 were similar to ‘dry’
block heights observed in 2007.
Some entries performed similarly in both irrigation blocks relative to the other
entries. V2010 and Hyola401 produced fairly high seed yields in both moisture regimes.
Hyola401 also had a consistently good response under both irrigation regimes in 2007,
but V2010 was not tested in 2007. Likewise, Pacific Gold had the lowest seed yield in
both irrigation blocks, and Clearwater was nearly the lowest in both blocks. In a few
cases, however, the entries did not yield the same relative to each other in the two
irrigation blocks. DKF30-42 had the highest seed yield in the ‘wet’ block, but was nearly
the lowest in the ‘dry’ block. Conversely, Idagold had a poor relative yield in the ‘wet’
block, but had the second-highest yield in the ‘dry’ block.
Summary
To our knowledge, 2008 was only the third year that varieties of canola and
related species had been evaluated in an organized way for yield in the Klamath Basin. It
was the second year that different levels of irrigation treatments were imposed. Reducing
irrigation seemed to reduce the growth and yield of canola in all ways measured except
for test weight. The ‘dry’ treatment block seemed to affect growth and seed yield more in
2008 than it did in 2007, but this may be due to the more severe moisture stress
experienced by the plants in 2008 due to lower irrigation rates applied for both irrigation
treatments in 2008 compared to 2007, as discussed above. The entries did not respond
equally to reduced irrigation, and some were better able to tolerate the moisture stress in
the ‘dry’ block. In situations of limited or sporadic irrigation water availability, using
varieties that were better able to produce a reasonably good seed yield under sub-optimal
irrigation conditions could provide a beneficial management option for growers wishing
to produce seed oil in this region.
Depending on canola’s fit into existing crop rotations, oilseed brassicas seem to
have good potential to provide marketable quantities of oil for biodiesel or other uses in
the Klamath Basin.
Commercial Activity and Future Prospects
Although canola was seeded on approximately 500 acres by local growers in
2007, acreage has decreased each year since then. Reported commercial yields of springseeded canola have ranged from about 1,000 lb/ac to 3,700 lb/ac, depending on
management factors such as seeding date, weather at seeding and flowering, moisture
availability, soil fertility, weed control, and harvest timing/method.
A commercial biodiesel production facility is currently in operation south of
Klamath Falls, and a Willamette Valley-based company has been scouting for contracts
in this area, but high grain prices have led most growers to seed wheat and barley instead
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
of the more speculative canola or other oilseed crops such as camelina. The future
economics of diesel fuel, small grains, and irrigation water availability will likely dictate
the future interest in, and commercial production of, canola for biodiesel in the Klamath
Basin. A relatively small ongoing level of research into oilseed crops should allow rapid
adoption and commercialization of these crops when economic conditions warrant their
widespread production.
References
Canola Council of Canada. 1986. The official definition of canola.
http://www.canolacouncil.org/ind_definition.aspx.
Roseberg, R.J., Smith, J.E., and Shuck, R.A. 2007. Growth, yield, and oil production of
canola varieties in response to differential irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2007. Klamath
Basin Research & Extension Center Annual Research Report.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/research-klamath-basin-2007-annual-report.
US Bureau of Reclamation, 2008. Agrimet: The Pacific Northwest cooperative
agricultural weather network. http://www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet/.
Table1.2008Precipitation&irrigationforcanolavarietyxirrigationratetrials.
KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
"Wet"Block
Month
Precipitation
(inch)
Irrigation
(inch)
"Dry"Block
Irrigation
Applications
Irrigation
(inch)
Irrigation
Applications
May
1.69
3.43
1
3.43
1
June
0.66
1.93
2
1.93
2
July
0.03
7.01
6
4.00
4
August
0.20
1.43
1
1.43
1
Sept. 1‐8
0.00
0.00
0
0.00
0
Total
2.58
13.80
10
10.79
8
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Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008
Agronomic Research in the Klamath Basin
2008 Annual Report
Table2.2008Springcanolavarietytrialunderfullirrigation.
KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Entry
Type
Seed
Test
Flowering
Oil
Height
Yield
Weight
Date(day
Yield
(lb/ac) Rank (lb/bu) Rank (inch) Rank ofyear) Rank Oil% Rank (lb/ac) Rank
IS 7145
RR Canola
2052
2
50.8
3
45.0
5
208
4
43.6
1
894
2
DKF 30‐42
RR Canola
2148
1
50.7
4
45.8
4
207
6
42.4
2
907
1
V2010
RR Canola
2039
3
49.7
7
48.8
2
209
2
40.4
3
820
3
Pacific Gold
Mustard
905
8
51.0
2
51.0
1
209
2
34.3
7
311
7
Clearwater
Conv Canola
1306
6
50.3
6
48.8
2
211
1
38.6
4
505
6
IdaGold
Hyola 401
Hyola 357 RR
Mustard
1036
7
55.0
1
32.2
8
204
8
27.8
8
286
8
Conv Canola
1987
4
50.6
5
42.2
7
207
6
38.5
5
765
4
RR Canola
1700
5
49.5
8
44.8
6
208
4
34.6
6
588
5
Mean
P value
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
1647
50.8
44.8
208
37.5
635
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
0.028
<0.001
<0.001
358
14.8
1.0
1.1
5.2
7.9
3
1.1
3.5
6.3
139
14.9
Table3.2008Springcanolavarietytrialunderlowirrigation.
KlamathBasinResearch&ExtensionCenter,KlamathFalls,OR.
Entry
Type
Oil
Seed
Test
Flowering
Height
Yield
Yield
Weight
Date(day
(lb/ac) Rank (lb/bu) Rank (inch) Rank ofyear) Rank Oil% Rank (lb/ac) Rank
IS 7145
RR Canola
905
5
50.0
4
38.2
4
205
6
38.9
1
352
4
DKF 30‐42
RR Canola
837
6
49.7
6
37.2
5
205
4
37.7
3
313
5
V2010
RR Canola
1453
1
50.1
3
44.2
2
208
2
37.9
2
551
1
Pacific Gold
Mustard
318
8
48.0
8
45.0
1
203
7
29.2
7
94
8
Clearwater
Conv Canola
691
7
49.8
5
40.0
3
212
1
36.8
4
255
7
IdaGold
Hyola 401
Hyola 357 RR
Mean
P value
LSD (0.05)
CV (%)
Mustard
1078
2
55.0
1
31.5
8
199
8
25.6
8
275
6
Conv Canola
1004
3
50.7
2
35.2
7
205
3
36.5
5
367
2
RR Canola
1000
4
48.4
7
35.8
6
205
4
35.5
6
357
3
911
50.5
38.4
205
34.8
321
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
309
23.1
1.3
1.4
3.2
5.7
4
1.2
1.7
3.4
112
23.7
______________________________________________________________________________
Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center
Growth, Yield, and Oil Production of Spring Canola Varieties in Response
to Differential Irrigation in the Klamath Basin, 2008