Winter Canola Yield and Fatty Acid Composition Depending On Nitrogen Application Rates.

Winter canola yield and fatty acid composition depending on nitrogen application rates Valtcho D. Zheljazkova*, Brady Vickb, Wayne Ebelharc, Normie Buehringd, and Tess Astatkiee aAssociate Professor, University of Wyoming, Sheridan Research and Extension Center, 663 Wyarno Road, Sheridan, WY 82801, U.S.A. bSunflower Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 1605 Albreht Bulv North, Northern Crop Science Lab., Fargo, ND 58102, U.S.A. cMississippi State University, Delta Research and Extension Center, Stoneville, MS, 38776, U.S.A. dMississippi State University, North Mississippi Research and Extension Center, 5421 Highway 145 South, Verona, MS 38879, U.S.A eProfessor, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, 50 Pictou Road, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada *To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dr. V. D. Zheljazkov, E-mail: vjeliazk@uwyo.edu Abstract In recent years, interest to winter canola production in the Southeastern US increased. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of N (0, 60, 120, 180 kg N ha-1) on productivity, oil content and oil composition of winter canola grown over two cropping seasons at three locations in Mississippi (Stoneville, and two locations at Verona: Verona silt loam, Verona-SL and Verona clay, Verona-C). Higher N application rates increased seed and oil yields. Higher N rates at Verona-SL location increased stearic acid but decreased linolenic and linoleic acid concentrations in the oil. N application at180 kg N ha-1 at the Verona-C location reduced the concentration of linolenic acid. Higher N rates improved the yields of the individual fatty acids (palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, lineleic, linolenic, arachidic, eicosanoic, behenic, lignoceric and nervoinic) relative to the unfertilized control. Our results suggest winter canola production in the Southeastern US may be agronomically and economically feasible. 1