LESQUERELLA
Other Common Names Include: Lesquerella, Fendler's bladderpod, yellowtop
Latin Name: Physaria fendleri (formerly Lesquerella fendleri)
Plant Family: Brassicaceae
Close Relatives: Other members of the mustard family (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, rapeseed, etc.)
Uses and Markets: Industrial; oil contains the lesquerolic acid, a hydroxy fatty acid which has potential use in the manufacture of cosmetics, coatings, plastics, and lubricants, Seed coat contains a unique gum which could be used in cosmetics, plasticizers, lubricants, thickening agents etc.
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
P. fendleri is native to the American southwest where it has been cultivated as a winter annual. It can only survive winter temperatures to -5°C, so must be grown as a summer annual in Ontario. It is adapted to growth in low water environments.
Propagation method
Broadcast seed at 8-12 kg/ha.
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Late March
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
N/A
Between row spacing
N/A
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
>5°C
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research from the southern U.S. indicates lesquerella yields increase with application of nitrogen fertilizer up to 100kg/ha. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Well drained, sandy loam soils
Soil pH
pH 6.5-8
Special requirements for growth habit
Maximum yields are obtained when flowering occurs before the hottest days of the summer.
Optimal Temperature Range
20-24˚C
Temperature sensitivity
Frost tolerant.
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation usually not required under normal Ontario conditions. A moist soil surface is critical for consistent germination.
Days to harvest
150 (estimate for Ontario).
Specialized equipment
Seed cleaning equipment that is suitable for small seed (1700/g).
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest when seeds turn brown (moisture content below 12%).
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Machine harvest
Quality parameters/grades
Quality based on final seed moisture.
Additional Harvest Notes
Seed can be directly combined or the plants can be windrowed to drying prior to combining.
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Seed moisture must be below 9%.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): Low
Temperature: Cool
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: N/A
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
None identified in Ontario to date.
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Lygus bugs, harlequin bugs, chinch bugs, aphids
Diseases: None identified due to limited large scale production to date
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: n/a – limited production in Ontario to date. Pests of canola and other oilseeds in Ontario may affect this crop. Good weed control is critical throughout the production cycle of this crop – weed competition early in the season can greatly affect yields due to the slow establishment of this crop, while weed populationss later in the season can affect operation of harvest equipment. There are few to no pest control products registered on this crop. While some species of Lesquerella are included in crop groups, the species referred to in this profile is not in a crop group. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Some pesticides may be registered on this crop. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
None
None
- Coates, W. 1994. Mechanical harvesting of lesquerella. Industrial Crops and Products. 2:245-250.
- Dierig, D., A.E. Thompson and F.S. Nakayama. 1993. Lesquerella commercialization efforts in the United States. Industrial Crops and Products. 1:289-293.
- Dierig, D., 1995. Lesquerella. Purdue University New Crop FactSHEET.
- Dierig, D.A., G. Wang, W.B. McCloskey, K.R. Thorp, T.A. Isbell, D.T. Ray and M.A. Foster. 2011. Lesquerella: New crop development and commercialization in the U.S. Industrial Crops and Products. 34:1381-1385
- Dierig, D.A., G. Wang and S.J. Crafts-Brander. 2012. Dynamics of reproductive growth of lesquerella (Physaria fendleri) over different planting dates. Industrial Crops and Products. 35:146-153.
- Hunsaker, D.J., F.S. Nakayama, D.A. Dierig and W.L. Alexander. 1998. Lesquerella seed production: Water requirement and management. Industrial Crops and Products. 8:167-182.
