Theses and Dissertations Collection

The United States is highly dependent on fossil fuel, which has heightened interest in producing biofuel from vegetable oils. Brassicaceae oilseed crops have potential as rotational crops with small grain cereals that predominate in the Pacific Northwest. However, few studies have determined productivity of these crops in side-by-side comparisons. This study examines adaptability, seed yield and oil content of three fall planted and six spring planted Brassicaceae species to assess their biofuel feedstock potential, grown in rotations with winter wheat. Results showed the highest fuel feedstock potential was from winter B. napus, spring B. napus, and B. juncea (1,800, 795, and 636 l ha-1, respectively). There were no difference in subsequent wheat yield or quality after any of the oilseed crops. To produce Brassicaceae biofuel feedstock crops, the recommendation is to produce winter B. napus in the crop-fallow regions, and spring B. napus or B. juncea in continuous cropping systems.