Lubricant oil crops

Oil crops should be able to produce erucamide so High Eracic Acid Rape (HEAR) varieties and Crambe are the two that are most common. HEAR is grown the same as conventional double-low rape (see Chapter 14) and Crambe is similar to spring oilseed rape in its requirements. Crambe Crambe abyssinica) is a member of the mustard family. The oil contains about 58% emcic acid and the seed coat is high in glucosinolates so must be removed before the meal is suitable for animal feed, and can then be used as a fibre source for low grade paper production. 

The crop is planted at the same time as spring rape, flowers within 35 days and can be harvested 90 days after planting by the same techniques used for rape, i.e. combined direct, desiccated or swathed. 

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