The seed's and oil composition of Camelia - first romanian cultivar of camelina (Camelina sativa, L. Crantz)

Variability in camelina (Camelina sativa, L. Crantz) seeds and oil composition could be expected between cropping year, sowing time, cultivar and genetic x environment's interactions, as well farming systems. The objectives of the present study were to determine the seeds and oil composition variability due by organic and low input farming systems, cropping year, sowing time and cultivar, as well as, organic seeds, fats and meal (cake) elemental composition and calorific power values of Camelia, first Romanian camelina (Camelina sativa, L. Crantz) cultivar. Between 2004 - 2013 different field experiments with camelina were carried out at NARDI Fundulea, including five years (2009-2013) yield trial in organic farming, and a three year (2008-2010) yield trial in low input farming established that camelina Camelia seeds contain, mainly, 4.25 - 5.24% ash, 11.06 - 15.24% cellulose, 18.87 - 21. 97% proteins, 30.1 - 49.7% fats, and 25.83 - 28.21 mg/100 g vitamin E, as well as minerals - 0.18% Calcium (Ca), 0.53% Phosphorus (P), 0.49% Cooper (Cu), 1.39% Manganese (Mn), 4.47% Iron (Fe) and 2.56% Zinc (Zn). In organic yield trial, the best years for Camelia fats(oil) content were 2009 (43.9%) and 2012 (44.2%) and the bad year was 2010 (31.4%). Also, the sowing time effect on fats(oil) content ranged between 29.3 - 46.3% in late autumn and 33.4 - 49.6% in early spring. There appears to be some variation for fats(oil) content among the years and cultivars tested: 31.1 - 45.8% at Camelia, 31.9 - 44.8% at Calena and 30.7 - 43.6% at Lindo. In low input farming system, the fats(oil) content of cultivars studied ranged between 32.7 - 35.9% at Camelia and 29.5 - 33.8% at Lindo. The organic seeds and cold oil of Camelia contained two essential fatty acid types: omega-3 (31.9 - 53.4%) and omega-6 (18.6 - 21.61%), as well nonessential omega-9 (17.4 - 36.6%). The fatty acids in Camelia seeds and cold oil are principally unsaturated (85.3 - 89.4%), with only 9.1 - 11.2% being saturated. More than 55% of the fatty acids are polyunsaturated, primarily linoleic (18:2) and alpha-linolenic (18:3), and 32% are monounsaturated, primarily oleic (18:1), eicosenoic/gadoleic (20:1), and erucic acid (22:1). Camelia alpha-linolenic fatty acid was higher in late autumn sowing time seeds and oil samples when was compared to that of Camelia seeds and cold oil spring sowing time samples. The average omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in Camelia seeds and cold oil was 1:1.5 - 2.87 and inverse to the ideal ratio: 3 - 3:1 to 5:1. The Camelia cold oil was susceptible to auto oxidation, thus giving it a shorter shelf life. Also, the fatty acids composition of Camelia seeds and cold oil was not significant different. The calorific power values of the Camelia main commercial products, classified the Camelia seeds besides Anthracite coal, the Camelia meal(cake) besides Bituminous coal, and Camelia cold oil besides Jatropha based biodiesel and fuel oil.