Russellville, Kentucky
May 2, 2007
Bright yellow canola fields might
be popping up in springtime followed by the large blooms of
sunflowers in summer, if feasibility work Miles Enterprises of
Owensboro and the University of
Kentucky College of Agriculture are conducting proves
fruitful.
The collaborative effort recently received funding from the
Governor’s Office of Energy Policy to study the feasibility of
growing the two crops in Kentucky. The research will determine
the quality and quantity of the oils for use as a biodiesel
fuel, as well as the advantages of different varieties.
There is the potential for both crops to be more efficient than
soybeans for the production of biodiesel fuel, noted Sam
McNeill, UK agricultural engineer and principal investigator on
the grant. Oil content of soybeans is only about 18 percent,
with 79 percent of the product in the form of meal and hulls. In
contrast, canola and sunflower seeds are about 38 percent and 42
percent oil, respectively.
Although canola has been researched and grown on a limited scale
in the past, more production research is needed to test new
varieties and show producers best management practices.
Presently, only a few acres of sunflowers and about 2,000 acres
of canola are grown in Kentucky. It would take 50,000 acres of
the two crops to fill the need of a proposed biodiesel fuel
plant, said John Roberts, business development manager at Miles
Enterprises.
Having two crops splits the risk for the plant, said Brian
Caldbeck, innovative product and service manager at Miles
Enterprises. Adding canola and sunflowers to the state’s crops
mix would also open up more options for farmers, he noted.
Though sunflowers would be a new crop for the state, canola is
not new to Kentucky producers. In the 1980s, research was
conducted on the crop and several farmers tried producing it.
There were substantial problems with freezing, however, so most
people discontinued growing it. Caldbeck said UK’s early
agronomic research is the foundation for the work being done
today. He noted the biggest difference in the 20-year span is
the genetic base, along with additional fungicides, seed
treatments and seeding rates.
“A lot is tweaking what’s been done already,” he said. “The
bottom line is to make it a feasible crop.”
Today, Miles is testing 110 canola varieties from the United
States and Europe to determine which can consistently prove to
be winners for Kentucky. It shouldn’t take long to determine the
crop’s feasibility if the genetics prove out, said Lloyd
Murdock, UK plant and soils specialist who conducted canola
research in the 1980s. He noted only a handful of varieties were
available then.
Caldbeck acknowledges that because of past experiences, farmers
may be a little gun-shy for awhile, but if they start with 50 to
100 acres and have success, then they will be more likely to
expand. He said he would not advise anyone to put a lot of
acreage into the crop.
Murdock agreed with Caldbeck’s assessment, saying, “It will be a
two-to-three-year thing. It does take awhile to convince them.”
Sunflowers are more of an unknown, but experiences in other
states such as Kansas and Missouri indicate that the crop may
adapt well to Kentucky.
As for the research, most field work is being done in the Logan
County area by Miles Enterprises, with some directed by UK. The
university will conduct scout training for insects, diseases and
weeds as needed, and provide information on fertilization and
management, UK’s Sam McNeill said. A UK lab will perform tissue
studies and test oil levels of different varieties. In addition,
UK agricultural engineers will work to address any drying and
storage issues associated with the two crops, he said.
Another issue that needs to be resolved is the availability of
crop insurance on these new crops, Caldbeck said. Without this,
farmers will be less willing to take the risk, he said.
Roberts said the grant, along with the collaborative effort
between UK and Miles, will propel the research forward and
ultimately, he believes, get a biofuels plant off the ground
more quickly than if any one entity worked on it alone. He hopes
that a regional crushing/biofuels plant could be in place within
the next few years to cater to these crops.
McNeill and Murdock said their ultimate goal is to ensure the
crop is feasible and, once that has been determined, to work
with farmers to learn the management requirements. Ultimately,
it comes down to having more options for farmers to add to their
enterprises, reducing risk and adding to profitability.
UK College of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission,
reaches across the commonwealth with teaching, research and
extension to enhance the lives of Kentuckians.
By Laura Skillman |
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