Carinata Yield Is Optimized at 6 Kg Seed per Hectare Rate Regardless of Tillage Regime Used.

Brassica carinata is an alternative non-food oilseed crop used to produce jet biofuels due to its high oil content and favorable fatty acid profile. However, its production in the Southeastern United States (SE US) is relatively new and information on agronomic management practices to optimize growth and yield is limited. Tillage and seeding rate are one of the key management issues that remain for commercial production of carinata in the SE US and are among the first management decisions carinata growers face. Since different tillage methods may affect the optimal seeding rate for this small-seeded crop, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of several tillage regimes (conventional, no-till, broadcast, and ripper-roller) and seeding rates (1, 6, 10 and 15 kg/ha) on the performance of Brassica carinata. A randomized complete block design with a strip-plot restriction on randomization with four replications was implemented in three sites viz. Shorter, AL; Jay, FL; and Quincy, FL, during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 winter seasons. Results indicate that the 6 kg seed/ha rate was optimal at all site years regardless of tillage systems. The highest seed yields of 1867 and 1085 kg/ha were observed with conventional tillage systems in 2018 and 2019 respectively. There was no tillage x seed rate interactions on seed and oil yield during any site-year. Penetrometer data collected after planting indicate that the ripper-roller and conventional tillage systems had the least soil compaction, which may facilitate crop stand establishment.