Land Suitability Assessment for Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) Development in Chile

Abstract

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is an oilseed with potential for use as a raw material in second-generation biofuels. Camelina has a seed yield of up to 2380 kg·ha −1 and contains around 45% fatty acids. Selection of a suitable site is critical for production optimization. The objective of this study was to determine Chilean agro-climatic suitability for establishing camelina as a productive alternative. Climate and soil requirements and geographical restraints were evaluated for the species, considering the climatological characteristics of its regions of origin, as well as regions where camelina is successfully grown in the rest of the world. The variables considered included factors (maximum temperatures of the warmest month, water deficits, and degree days) and limitations (altitude, geomorphology, and current land use), which permitted the evaluation of the national territory for a certain level of suitability. It was determined that 1.3% of the national territory (960,664 ha) has some degree of suitability for camelina adoption. Between the Biobío and Los Lagos regions, 49.0% of the land (471,203 ha) is in the category of no thermic restrictions, with mild water restrictions, and mild soil restrictions or without information, which can be used for camelina production. The Los Ríos region has 21.4% surface area (321,176 ha) with some level of suitability for camelina, the most suitable region to establish this crop in Chile. This research has provided valuable information applicable to new species and geographic areas which facilitate the adaptation of agricultural and forestry production to global changes.

Stability and Variability of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz Economically Valuable Traits in Various Eco-Geographical Conditions of the Russian Federation

“…Currently, interest in the study and cultivation of camelina is shown in Europe, Canada, the United States and other countries of the world [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In European countries, the yield of camelina amounts to: 1.9 t/ha in Germany, 2.8 t/ha in France [7].…”

Assessing the Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) Seed Harvesting Using a Combine Harvester: A Case-Study on the Assessment of Work Performance and Seed Loss

“…This species is indeed resistant to both drought and frost stress [16]. It has low nutritional requirements [17][18][19], with subsequent positive effects on the environment highlighted by life cycle assessment (LCA) studies [20,21], and can be grown on poor soils, also in a Mediterranean context [22], even if both seed yield and oil yield show substantial variability, i.e., 1.0-3.0 Mg ha −1 and 30-49% w/w respectively [23]. Finally, camelina, considering the presence of both winter and spring cultivar and the relatively brief life cycle, is suitable for double cropping with small grain cereals, soybean, and sunflower [24][25][26][27][28][29].…”

Bioenergy - a Sustainable and Reliable Energy Source

“…Energy from biomass contributes significantly to the national energy balance and since Chile is a major agricultural producer, the dendroenergetic potential is very significant, it is therefore, essential that the country considers dendroenergy in its energy strategy and stimulates policies which promote the energetic use of biomass. Chile's potential area for the establishment of dendroenergy plantations reaches 2.05 million hectares [9,11,12]. In addition, there are at least 3 million hectares of eroded soil in the country that can be forested, along with significant areas of manageable native forests, of which approximately half have no other viable use than to generate energy, given their poor quality because of rotting.…”

“…In addition, there are at least 3 million hectares of eroded soil in the country that can be forested, along with significant areas of manageable native forests, of which approximately half have no other viable use than to generate energy, given their poor quality because of rotting. The arid north also has over 1 million hectares of land with potential for integration into bioenergy and carbon capture projects [1,[11][12][13].…”