Biofuel Feedstock Research in Irrigated Central Washington.

The biofuel feedstock trials and the search for better crops in our cropping system have been in our program since 2004 under irrigation of central Washington.  Most of the temperate and sub tropical crops have been included in our trials from oil producing crops camelina, canola/rapeseed, crambee, mustard, safflower, soybean and sunflower to biomass crops as switchgrass for cellulosic ethanol.  Camelina belongs to the same family with canola and mustard which can be producing on marginal land with low energy input and is a short growing season crops.  Camelina oil is a source of high quality oil with over 30% Omega-3 fatty acid and second to flax oil. Canola both spring and winter species can be produced well in Washington.  Winter canola requires 10 months to mature and its yield doubled spring grown canola.  Mustard is another Brassica species which tolerates more hash weather and low soil nutrient. Safflower produces well in Washington.  Safflower uses less water than soybean and can produce high yield and high oil concentration. Safflower and winter canola can produce 1900 to 2800 kg oil per hectare.  Soybean with maturity groups 000, 00, 0 can be grown in Washington and produced from 3300 to 4400 kg per hectare on sandy soil if enough irrigation is applied.  Switchgrass is a perennial warm-season grass produces high biomass yield after the establishment year. Under irrigation we produce two harvestable biomass harvests per growing season. The first biomass harvest is taken in early July and the final in early October. Switchgrass is photoperiod sensitive with early maturing cultivars transitioning into winter dormancy earlier than later maturing cultivars. If allowed to transition into dormancy in the fall, we have not experienced winterkill problems in our environment and under our agronomic management practices.