Glucosinolate Content of Camelina Genotypes as Affected by Applied Nitrogen and Sulphur

Abstract

Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] is an alternative oil crop that has potential in aquaculture and food production. However, glucosinolates (GSs) in camelina seed and meal constrain their application in human and animal consumption. Glucosinolates are plant secondary metabolites commonly found in the Brassicaceae family. The aims of this study were to determine whether nitrogen (N) alone or in combination with sulphur (S) application affected GS concentration in camelina seeds, as well as whether different genotypes differed in GS concentrations. Our results showed that the application of 25 kg S ha−1 significantly increased GS content compared with 0 kg S ha−1. Applied N rates were negatively correlated with the amounts of total and individual GSs when no S was applied. The low GS content with high N rates was probably due to a dilution effect of S content. Applied N rates did not affect the amounts of total and individual GSs when 25 kg S ha−1 was applied. Seed protein content was negatively correlated with the total GSs depending on growing season and genotype when no S was applied. The cultivar, Calena, had the highest amount of GSs among five genotypes. The results indicated that GSs in camelina can be manipulated by cultural management practices including N and S application.