Qualitative variation of Camelina sativa seed from different locations

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is a flexible oil-seed crop that can be grown under different climatic and soil conditions. To evaluate the effects of growth conditions on the quality of camelina seed, samples originating from 11 remote locations in Europe and in Scandinavia (6degrees W-25 E, 48-61degreesN) were analysed for content of oil, crude protein and crude fibre. The evaluation was restricted to three promising summer cultivars chosen from seven tested varieties/cultivars. Among the cultivars, a statistically significant variation in the content of oil and crude protein was found. The average content of oil in seed ranged from 39.6 to 44.1%/DM. The average content of crude protein ranged from 39.2 to 47.4%/f.f. DM, and the average content of crude fibre was 12.5-16.8%/f.f. DM. The general mean content of oil was 42.0%/DM, crude protein 43.6%/f.f. DM, and the content of crude fibre was 14.5%/f.f. DM. The variation in the quality of seed was ascribed partly to the cultivars and mainly to the combined effects of the climatic and soil conditions under which the crop was grown. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.