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Plastics and Fuels from Camelina

Camelina is a mustard-family plant that may be genetically engineered to create a wide variety of important products, from plastics to jet fuel. Camelina has a short growing season and may be planted as a cover crop, offering a new potential high-value crop for farmers.

Mar 26, 2022 by Dr. Kevin Folta in Talking Biotech

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Camelina (Camelina sativa) is an oilseed brassica that grows fast and produces many seeds. It grows in marginal soil and great resistance to disease and environmental stress. That said, it is an ideal plant to use as a factory to produce a variety of metabolites that may be used in applications such as fuels and plastics, as well as a sources of healthy food oils and animal nutrition products. Their resilience as a crop and rapid growth means that they may offer farmers an off-season cover crop that can add to soil health and produce important products. This week's interview is an interview with Yield10's CEO Dr. Olly Peoples. Yield10 is advancing the genetics of camelina to produce a variety of useful key polymers, nutrition products and food for animals, inside a cover crop that can expand profitable options for farmers. Visit Yield 10's Camelina website here.

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