Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz as a Promising Cover Crop Species with Allelopathic Potential

Abstract

The ability of plants to release chemicals that affect the growth of other plants offers potential benefits for weed management and sustainable agriculture. This review explores the use of Camelina sativa as a promising cover crop with weed control potential. Camelina sativa, known for its high oil content and adaptability to diverse climatic conditions, exhibits allelopathic potential by releasing chemical compounds that inhibit weed growth. The crop’s vigorous growth and canopy architecture contribute to effective weed suppression, reducing the prevalence and spread of associated pathogens. Furthermore, the chemical compounds released by camelina through the solubilization of compounds from leaves by rain, root exudation, or deriving from microbial-mediated decay of camelina’s tissues interfere with the growth of neighbouring plants, indicating allelopathic interactions. The isolation and identification of benzylamine and glucosinolates as allelochemicals in camelina highlight their role in plant–plant interactions. However, the studies carried out on this species are outdated, and it cannot be excluded that other chemicals deriving from the breakdown of the glucosinolates or belonging to other classes of specialized metabolites can be involved in its allelopathic potential. Camelina sativa also demonstrates disease suppression capabilities, with glucosinolates exhibiting fungicidal, nematocidal, and bactericidal activities. Additionally, camelina cover crops have been found to reduce root diseases and enhance growth and yields in corn and soybeans. This review sheds light on the allelopathic and agronomic benefits of Camelina sativa, emphasizing its potential as a sustainable and integrated pest management strategy in agriculture.

Genetic study of Camelina sativa oilseed crop and selection of a new variety by the bulk method

“…Nonetheless, camelina exhibits disease-suppressing properties, thanks to glucosinolates that exhibit fungicidal, nematocidal and bactericidal activities ( Arora and Kaushik, 2003 ). In fact, several studies have also indicated that camelina as a cover crop mitigates root diseases and improves the growth and yields of various crops, highlighting its potential as a sustainable and integrated pest management strategy in agriculture, making it emerge as a promising cover crop with weed control potential ( Acharya et al., 2020 ; Ghidoli et al., 2023b ).…”

“…A primary concern lies in the presence of glucosinolates (GLS), which represents a significant limitation for these applications. However, these molecules play a role in plant defense mechanisms, and, as noted by Ghidoli et al. (2023b) , their occurrence can be attributed to the allelopathic properties inherent in camelina ( Quéro et al., 2016 ; Hofmann et al., 2023 ).…”

“…A positive correlation (r = 0.69; p = 0.013) was observed between protein and glucosinolate content ( Figure 8 ), and the same result was obtained in the previous study ( Ghidoli et al., 2023c ), in which two hypotheses were proposed to explain the correlation. The first hypothesis suggests that the presence of sulfur-containing amino acids, from which glucosinolates are synthesized, could account for this correlation, given the sulfuric nature of glucosinolates ( Ghidoli et al., 2023b ). The second hypothesis takes into consideration the 2008 study by Williams and colleagues, highlighting epithiospecifier proteins (ESPs) as non-catalytic cofactors of myrosinase—the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the hydrolysis of glucosinolates ( Williams et al., 2008 ).…”

“…Winter genotypes stand out as optimal choices for winter cultivation, providing soil protection. Incorporating winter camelina as a cover crop serves to prevent erosion, fosters carbon sequestration in the soil, and additionally functions as a weed control measure by inhibiting their growth ( Zubr, 2003 ; Sydor et al., 2022 ; Ghidoli et al., 2023b ).…”

“…Regarding this, in recent years, great attention has been paid to brassicaceous species, including camelina, as cover crops with allelopathic activity ( Ghidoli et al., 2023b ; Pascual et al., 2024 ). Some studies report field experiments to study the effects of camelina used as a cover crop in rotation with maize, highlighting a reduction in root disease and greater growth and yields compared to maize crops which followed other cover crops such as rye ( Acharya et al., 2020 ).These studies suggest potential benefits for using camelina as a cover crop before growing corn.…”