          2010 New Crops: Exploring Diversity, Preserving our Future
                                       
                            Fort Collins, Colorado
                            September 18-22nd, 2010


http://www.ushrl.saa.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=257828

Research Project: INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS FROM NEW CROPS 
Location: Bio-oils Research Unit 
Title: Thlaspi arvense (Pennycress) germination, development and yield potential 
Authors 

Isbell, Terry 

Cermak, Steven 
Pennycress is being developed as an off-season rotation crop which precedes an annual soybean production. This rotation scheme may offer distinct advantages to farmers by providing additional farm income from an otherwise fallow season with little impact on the subsequent soybean production.
      Pennycress was grown on multi-acre field plot and small 2 m[2] plots in the fall of 2008 and 2009. In the fall of 2008 field plots were established with a Brillion 6' Sure Stand seeder at a planting rate of 2.5 x 10[6] seeds/hectare with expected germination of 72%. Plant stand density ranged from 7.4 x 10[5] to 3.2 x 106 plants/hectare. Plant density remained the same throughout the entire growing season. The multi-acre field had 1 m[2] hand harvest yield range of 226  -  1,533 kg/ha (202  -  1369 lbs/acre) and the corresponding block gave combine harvest yield rang of 607  -  1087 kg/ha (542  -  971 lbs/acre). Average yield determined for the field by 1 m[2] hand harvest was 1140 kg/ha (1018 lbs/acre) and the combine average yield was 1082 kg/ha (966 lbs/acre).
      In the fall of 2009, 1 m x 3 m complete randomized block design plots were established at NCAUR using a Great Plains 6' wide No-Till grain drill at a seeding rate of 2.5 x 10[6] plants per hectare. Several different thlaspi seed lots were evaluated for germination, plant stand development, maturity date, seed yield, oil content and fatty acid profile. Lines from the Beecher germplasm clearly outperformed all other lines and gave hand harvested yields of 1075  -  2534 kg/ha (1,204  -  2,263 lbs/acre) with an average yield of 2035 kg/ha (1817 lbs/acre).
      The seed was found to contain 36% oil with the major fatty acid as erucic at 38.1%, iodine value of 115. Viscosity index (VI) of the methyl esters was 277 with a 40[o]C viscosity of 5.0 cSt and pour point and cloud points of -15 and -10 [o]C respectively. The starting oil had a VI of 222 with a 40[o]C viscosity of 39.1 cSt and pour point and cloud points of -18[o]C and -10[o]C respectively. As expected, the flash point of the methyl esters 136[o]C was considerably less than the starting oil 234[o]C. Oil stability index (OSI) of the oil at 100[o]C was 39 h and 54.0 h for methyl esters.
      The early harvest date of pennycress compared to other winter annual oilseed crops will make it suitable for a two crop rotation with soybeans in most of the Midwestern U.S. In addition, the physical properties of the methyl esters indicate that continued development of the oil as a biodiesel is warranted.

