Kansas State Researcher Modifies Camelina to Improve Oilseed Properties and Yield

A Kansas State University professor has reached a milestone in building a better biofuel by producing high levels of lipids with modified properties in oil seeds.

Camelina is an oilseed crop capable of growing on poor soil and minimal care. However, it produces seeds that can provide gallons of oil. It also can be rotated with wheat and could become a biofuel crop for semi-arid regions.

Timothy Durrett, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, and collaborators from Michigan State University and the University of Nebraska, have modified Camelina sativa to produce high levels of modified seed oil, called acetyl-TAGs, possessing reduced viscosity and improved cold temperature characteristics.

One of the team's goals is to make commercial products using these acetyl-TAGs because they possess unusual structures and have high value-added properties. Researchers think that the modified oil possesses potential industrial uses, including plasticizers, biodegradable lubricants and food emulsifiers.