Camelina in organic farming

It is often combined, especially with lentils, to act as a support and help manage weeds. In this case, camelina is sown at a fairly low density, so its yield is lower than pure yield.

It can also be grown as a pure crop, in autumn or spring, and is an interesting option for integrating a cruciferous crop into organic rotations. It is particularly useful for weed management: with its short cycle, it can be sown very late in the spring, thus breaking the weed cycle and allowing several false sowings in the spring.

If planting conditions are favorable, camelina develops rapidly and is highly competitive with weeds. If not, however, camelina becomes a very messy crop, as it is difficult to use mechanical tools (risk of stubble formation, particularly with the harrow).

Farmers' testimonials also reveal a potential allelopathic effect of camelina, which to our knowledge has not yet been demonstrated in the field.

The camelina produced organically is mainly used as edible oil, or in the cosmetics sector, while the oilcake is used in animal feed.