Abstract
Though more costly than petroleum-based fuels and a minor component of overall military fuel sources, biofuels are nonetheless strategically valuable to the military because of intentional reliance on multiple, reliable, secure fuel sources. Significant reduction in oilseed biofuel cost occurs when grown on marginally productive saline-sodic soils plentiful in California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV). The objective is to evaluate the feasibility of oilseed production on marginal soils in the SJV to support a 115 ML yr−1 biofuel conversion facility. The feasibility evaluation involves: (1) development of an Ida Gold mustard oilseed yield model for marginal soils; (2) identification of marginally productive soils; (3) development of a spatial database of edaphic factors influencing oilseed yield and (4) performance of Monte Carlo simulations showing potential biofuel production on marginally productive SJV soils. The model indicates oilseed yield is related to boron, salinity, leaching fraction, and water content at field capacity. Monte Carlo simulations for the entire SJV fit a shifted gamma probability density function: Q = 68.986 + gamma (6.134,5.285), where Q is biofuel production in ML yr−1. The shifted gamma cumulative density function indicates a 0.15–0.17 probability of meeting the target biofuel-production level of 115 ML yr−1, making adequate biofuel production unlikely.
Highlights
IntroductionThe United States is the world’s largest consumer of crude oil, resulting in two major problems:
The United States is the world’s largest consumer of crude oil, resulting in two major problems:(1) low energy security and (2) high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
There were concerns regarding the reliability of the salinity ranges provided in Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) for the root zone due to anthropogenic influences; as discussed in detail in Section 2.2 an evaluation of the reliability of SSURGO root-zone salinity was conducted by comparison to salinity ground-truth measurements of 22 fields in the west side of the SJV (WSJV) presented by Scudiero et al [26]
Summary
The United States is the world’s largest consumer of crude oil, resulting in two major problems:. Biofuels developed from crops grown within the borders of the USA are a secure source of fuel uninfluenced by the same world events that affect petroleum-based fuels To diversify their fuel sources the U.S military set a goal of 5% of their yearly aviation fuel needs (1.15 billion liters per year) from biofuel. Objective grow with sufficient yields on marginally productive salt-affected soils in the SJV to support a 115 It is the objective of this study (1) to formulate a crop yield model relating Ida Gold mustard oilseed 1.3. Yieldfacility of Ida Gold mustard for evaluating the feasibility of oilseed production on marginal soils to support a 115 ML yr−1 biofuel. Materials and Methods involves four steps: (1) development of an Ida Gold mustard oilseed yield model for marginal SJV soils using apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa ) directed soil. Joaquin Valley showing the four steps and flow of information
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
