Evaluation of different fertilizer sources effect on yield, forage quality and oil of camelina (Camelina sativa L.) under water deficit stress

Fertilizer management and irrigation are important factors in camellia cultivation at water deficit stress condition. The purpose of this experiment is to obtain the best fertilizer composition for increase yield, forage quality, and fatty acid of camellia seed at different irrigation levels for sustainable agriculture.

This 2-years experiment were performed in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 as a split-plot based on RCBD with four replications. The main plots included: rainfed, once irrigation, and twice irrigation. The sub-plots included: chemical fertilizers, bio-organic and control (without fertilizer). In this experiment, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forage and camellia seeds and the amount of fatty acids of camellina seed were determined.

The application of bio-organic and chemical fertilizers significantly increased dry matter digestibility, crude fat, and forage ash. The highest yield of dry forage (2122.4 and 2018.5 kg ha-1) was obtained from chemical fertilizer and bio-organic treatments respectively, and the highest grain yield (2018.9 kg ha-1) was obtained from twice irrigation treatments and the use of chemical fertilizer. The use of bio-organic fertilizers increased camelina yield by 25.49% in rainfed conditions. Bio-organic fertilizers at all levels of irrigation had the greatest effect on palmitic acid, stearic acid, eicosadienoic acid compared to the chemical fertilizers.

Although use of chemical fertilizers under twice irrigation showed the highest effect on camellina traits, but use of bio-organic fertilizers under rainfed or low irrigation conditions can be recommended due to a significant increase in grain yield, forage quality and fatty acid composition.