Project Number: 3645-21220-004-09
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement

Start Date: Aug 01, 2012
End Date: Jul 31, 2016

Objective:
Improve feedstocks to enhance oil yield and quality stability across varying western U.S. production conditions and compatibility with hydro-treated renewable jet (HRJ) fuel conversion processes. Sub-objective 1c) Determine how varying production environments affect the relative performance of B. napus, B. juncea, B. rapa, and Camelina sativa.

Approach:
To establish a basic understanding of the yield performance of Brassica napus relative to other oilseed crops across diverse environments. Two genotypes each of winter and spring type B. napus will be compared to two genotypes each of B. rapa, B. juncea, and C. sativa in a small plot field experiment. To shed light on the physiological basis for Brassica napus’ anticipated yield advantages over other oilseeds in most locations (in response to differing environments), detailed descriptions of agronomically-important phenotypes will be performed; many determined by high through-put (HTP) methods. Phenotypes associated with a genotype’s ability to respond successfully to drought stress (e.g., crop height, leaf area index, plant canopy reflectance, and canopy temperature) will be measured once per week using hand-held instruments. Importantly, this information for multiple species will be used to improve the calibration/validation of the ALMANAC model simulations of canola and other oilseeds. Yield performance will be compared among crop species and cultivars will be compared at the Morris site as well as compared to the same species and cultivars grown at other field sites (eight others) across the western U.S.