The leading developer of a new oilseed crop says it has created genetically modified varieties that will open it up to millions of additional acres.
Great Plains, The Camelina Company has filed for patent protection on a biotechnology method designed to dramatically increase camelina’s tolerance to Group 2 herbicides.
The technology will allow the oilseed to be grown in rotation with wheat in areas where residue from imidazolinone and sulfonylurea based herbicides have prevented the crop from being grown.
Tolerance to Group 2 herbicides has been increased more than 300-fold in laboratory testing. Great Plains is forecasting the new herbicide tolerant varieties will be commercially available in the spring of 2011.
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In the meantime, Great Plains is introducing nine new varieties in 2010 designed to boost yield, including three targeted for regions in Western Canada.
The company has been researching the crop for 15 years, has 90 varieties available for growers and estimates that it contracts more than 85 percent of the camelina grown in North America.
Chief executive officer Sam Huttenbauer estimates about 100,000 acres were seeded to camelina in North America in 2009, about half of which were planted in Western Canada. The outlook for 2010 appears promising.
“My guess is it will probably be somewhere double that at a minimum,” he said.
Great Plains contracts with growers in 14 U.S. states and the four western Canadian provinces. In 2009, the company’s contracted acreage grew by more than 200 percent and Huttenbauer is forecasting a further doubling of acres in 2010.
The crop received a boost in February when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved camelina meal for use in broiler chicken rations. Huttenbauer hopes it will receive Canadian regulatory approval some time in 2010.
Camelina is being processed for the biodiesel industry on both sides of the border. More than 24 million kilometres have been driven using Great Plains camelina.
But the big opportunity may be in the airline industry where major airlines have conducted four successful biofuel test flights. Airlines are interested in finding a more sustainable and less price-volatile source of fuel.
Ideal for biofuel
The head of Boeing’s environmental strategy group said that based on the tests, camelina jet fuel appears to be the best available option of all the biofuels. Those were encouraging words for the crop developer.
“There will be a very big future in camelina in the aviation industry,” said Huttenbauer.
The U.S. navy wants to certify all its aircraft for biofuel use by 2011. The U.S. air force wants to be using a 50-50 biofuel blend in its fleet by 2016.
And the commercial airline industry is seeking certification of biofuel for regular commercial flights as early as 2012.
