Oil Seed Crops « Seed Production

Thomas G. Chastain

Here’s an article just published by our seed production team on nitrogen’s effect on seed yield and other seed production characteristics in yellow mustard. Trials were conducted on this crop over a 3-year period at OSU’s Hyslop Farm by Alyssa DuVal, a former graduate student and current instructor in the department. Yellow mustard is a potential seed crop for the high rainfall areas of western Oregon and unlike many other Brassica family crops, there is no threat of crossing of yellow mustard with the region’s vegetable seed crops.

Yellow mustard crop pods prior to harvest. (Photo by T.G. Chastain)

This article was published in Agronomy Journal and can be found at the link below:

Duval, A.S., T.G. Chastain, C.J. Garbacik, and D.J. Wysocki. 2017. Nitrogen affects seed production characteristics in yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.). Agron. J. 109:995-1004.

Key findings of the article:

Applied N increased seed and oil yield in yellow mustard in a high rainfall environment.
Seeds m^–2 was the most influential factor in determining seed yield in yellow mustard.
Applied N increased height, biomass, tissue N content, leaf area index, and crop growth rate.

Thomas G. Chastain

Here’s a new article from our seed production research and extension team on spring nitrogen and seed yield in winter canola. Field trials were conducted in the Willamette Valley over a 3-year period at OSU’s Hyslop Farm. This work was led by Brock Ferguson and is the first study to be published on winter canola in the seasonally wet environment of western Oregon.

Winter canola flowers and buds (TG Chastain photo)

This article appears in the most recent issue of Agronomy Journal and can be found at the link below:

Ferguson, B.T., T.G. Chastain, C.J. Garbacik, B.T. Chastain, and D.J. Wysocki. 2016. Spring nitrogen and cultivar affect seed production in winter canola (Brassica napus L.). Agron. J. 108:1124-1131.

Key findings of the article:

Spring nitrogen increased seed and oil yield in winter canola except when the crop was lodged as a result of high spring rainfall.
Seeds m^-2 was the most influential factor in determining seed yield in winter canola.
Seed oil content was high but was inversely related to the rate of spring N applied.
Seed yield and oil yield were maximized at 100 lbs N/acre while minimizing lodging losses.

OSU is presenting two seed production field days in May where the public can visit research farms and learn more about research activities. The field days provide a convenient choice for those located in either the western or eastern parts of the state.

May 19 – Grass Seed Field Day – Various topics focused on grass seed production practices and pests including ergot, powdery mildew and weed control, climate change, and more. Starts at 8:30 AM and ends at noon.

Located at OSU’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 2121 S. First Street, Hermiston, OR 97838. Phone (541) 567-6337.

May 27 – Hyslop Farm Field Day – Plant growth regulators, nutrient and irrigation management in clover seed crops, weed management in grass seed crops, biological control agents for clover root borer, canola, wheat, barley, and more. Starts at 8:15 AM and ends with lunch provided by the OSU Crops Club.

Located at Hyslop Crop Science Field Research Laboratory just off Highway 20 between Corvallis and Albany at 3455 NE Granger Corvallis, OR 97330. Phone (541) 737-6067. Hyslop Farm location

Our research and extension team has published a Pacific Northwest Extension bulletin on camelina stand establishment. The work was done across multiple environments in the Pacific Northwest ranging from arid eastern Washington to the wet Willamette Valley. The effects of planting date and method were examined in relationship to establishment of camelina stands and seed yield.

The article can be accessed at the link below:

Schillinger, W.F., D.J. Wysocki, T.G. Chastain, S.O. Guy, and R.S. Karow. 2014. Camelina: effects of planting date and method on stand establishment and seed yield. Pacific Northwest Extension Publication, PNW 661.

OSU is presenting two seed production field day offerings on the same day where the public can visit research farms and learn more about a variety of seed crops. The field days provide a convenient choice for those located in either the western or eastern parts of the state.

May 28 – Hyslop Farm Field Day – Plant growth regulators and irrigation management in red clover seed crops, establishment and tillage systems in annual ryegrass, nitrogen effects on seed yield in yellow mustard, and more. Starts at 8 AM and ends with lunch provided by the OSU Crops Club.

Located at Hyslop Crop Science Field Research Laboratory just off Highway 20 between Corvallis and Albany at 3455 NE Granger Corvallis, OR 97330. Phone (541) 737-6067. Hyslop Farm location

May 28 – Grass Seed Field Day – Various topics focused on grass seed production practices and pests including ergot, powdery mildew and stripe rust control, ammonia volatilization, and more. Starts at 8:30 AM and ends at noon.

Located at OSU’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 2121 S. First Street, Hermiston, OR 97838. Phone (541) 567-6337.

Here’s a new article on the adaptation and performance of camelina that will be published soon in Field Crops Research. Camelina is a Brassica family oil seed crop that has demonstrated potential for production in the Pacific Northwest and is thought to have a place as a rotation crop for small-grain cereals and grass seed crops. This work was led by Stephen Guy at Washington State University, a member of our research team.

Several key findings from the work include:

Planting camelina in the spring produced higher seed yields than planting in the fall.
Seed yields ranged up to 2948 lbs/acre across the four study sites.
With increasing seed yield, oil content of the seed was reduced.

Click on the citation below to go to the article:

Guy, S.O., D.J. Wysocki, W.F. Schillinger, T.G. Chastain, R.S. Karow, K. Garland-Campbell, and I.C. Burke. 2014. Camelina: adaptation and performance of genotypes. Field Crops Research 155:224-232.

Seed Production

Tag Archives: Oil Seed Crops

Yellow mustard seed production and nitrogen management

Spring nitrogen and seed yield in winter canola

Seed Production Field Days in May

Camelina stand establishment and seed yield extension publication is now available

Seed Production Field Days at OSU

Camelina: Adaptation and performance of genotypes

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