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Germination of Camelina sativa producing modified fatty acids under low temperature conditions
  • +6
  • Joe Ballenger,
  • Sam Kenney,
  • Jared Gordon,
  • Autumn Brown,
  • Annika Fischer,
  • Maneesh Lingwan,
  • Katia Gutierrez,
  • Doug Allen,
  • Malia Gehan
Joe Ballenger
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Sam Kenney
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Jared Gordon
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Autumn Brown
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Annika Fischer
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Maneesh Lingwan
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Katia Gutierrez
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Doug Allen
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USDA
Malia Gehan
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Abstract

Plants store carbon as oil in their seeds, which is a resource that needs to be mobilized in order to germinate. Camelina sativa is a prospective biofuel crop which has the potential to be used as a cover crop in corn and soy growing regions. Camelina plants have been engineered to produce medium-chain fatty acids useful in the production of biofuels, lubricants, and other products. To test suitability of these modified Camelina lines for growth in cool climates such as those found in the midwestern US, we performed germination tests on seeds in growth chambers at temperatures similar to those encountered in early season in corn-growing regions (6°C, 15°C, and 22°C). Controls were the untransformed background Suneson genotype, as well as plants from the far northern and southern ranges of C. sativa. Germinating seedlings were imaged using Raspberry Pis, and analyzed with PlantCV for the number of plants and the cotyledon area. To determine effects of seed fatty acid content later in the growth cycle, seedlings were transplanted and grown at 22°C until seed set. These plants were imaged every 20 days to track height, width, area, and solidity using PlantCV to analyze the data.
18 Oct 2023Submitted to NAPPN 2024
18 Oct 2023Published in NAPPN 2024