Assessment of Camelina sativa Performance under Deficit Irrigation with Application of Animal Manure and Micronutrients Nano-Fertilizers

Camelina sativa as a relatively new oilseed crop has a relatively favorable adaptation to semi-arid and warm conditions. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation, 100% field capacity, DI: deficit irrigation, 60% field capacity) and the application of varying levels of animal manure and foliar application of iron and zinc nano-fertilizers on the growth and yield of camelina under deficit irrigation conditions during the vegetative growth. A field trial was carried out in the Bileh-Savar region of Ardabil. The animal manure levels were 0, 10 and 20 t ha-1 which are displayed as the abbreviations FYM0, FYM10 and FYM20, respectively. The highest leaf chlorophyll content (55.86) was recorded under FI+FYM20+Zn conditions. DI reduced lateral canopy growth (LCG) by 33% compared to FI conditions. With increasing FYM application specifically under FI, significantly increased LCG. The effect of nano-iron foliar application on LGC was greater than that of zinc. The application of FYM10 and FYM20 increased biomass by 7% and 16% compared to FYM0. DI reduced the number of siliquae by 34% compared to FI. The highest seed yield was recorded under FI+FYM20+Zn conditions (1782 kg ha-1), and the lowest seed yield was related to DI+FYM0+FI conditions (1165 kg ha-1). The highest seed oil content was achieved under FI+FYM20 conditions (35.10%) and the lowest was recorded in plants grown under DI+FYM0 (31.55%). Overall, the DI with irrigation up to 60% FC does not seem to be an ideal irrigation option in the studied area for camelina production systems. These results could provide valuable insights for farmers in regions with limited water resources, helping them optimize irrigation and fertilization strategies for C. sativa production.