Camelina sativa is a promising oilseed crop used for dietary oil and as a biofuel feedstock. C. sativa is a highly adaptable, cool season crop that can be grown on marginal lands with minimal inputs, making it potentially suitable for growth in Northern Nevada and other cooler and drier semi-arid regions of North America. A five-year (2011 to 2015) field trial was conducted to evaluate the seed yield, oil content, and oil and biodiesel production potential of eight C. sativa cultivars in semi-arid regions of Northern Nevada. Columbia, Cheyenne, Calena, and Blaine Creek were ranked as the top four varieties based on the five-year study of mean seed yield, oil content, and estimated oil and biodiesel production values, although none of the cultivars were significant (p > 0.05). Overall, Columbia displayed the highest seed yield, harvest index, oil yield and potential biodiesel production of 910 kg ha−1, 0.147, 273.4 kg ha−1, and 86.4 L ha−1, respectively, across five growing seasons. For each individual year across the eight cultivars, seed yield, oil content, oil and potential biodiesel production was highest in 2015, and lowest in 2012 and 2013 (the drier years). The seed yields of this study fall within the ranges of yields reported in both the irrigated and rainfed locations of the Western United States. Based on the seed yield, oil, and the estimated oil and biodiesel productivity reported in this study, C. sativa can be grown successfully with supplemental irrigation in semi-arid environments like Nevada.

Tef (Eragrostis tef) is an underutilized food crop rich in minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. However, mineral profiling of diverse tef accessions, and estimation of bioavailable iron from tef has been lacking. In this study, we analyzed the mineral content of 41 tef accessions along with major cereals. Our analysis revealed that tef seeds contain significantly more minerals than maize, rice, and the wheat varieties used in this study. A significant variation in mineral content was also observed across the tef accessions. We also performed a relative estimation of Fe bioavailability from selected tef accessions and reference crops using an established Caco-2 cell bioassay. This bioassay measures human intestinal cell Fe uptake via intracellular ferritin formation, a storage protein that is a validated marker of Fe uptake. Higher levels of Fe uptake were observed in the PI-494307, PI-494425, and PI-195937 accessions, than those recorded in cells fed wheat, rice, or tef accessions PI-329681, PI-494408 and PI-494293. There was no marked difference in phytic acid (PA) content between tef and wheat, while the PA level in rice was lower than tef and wheat. Enhanced Fe uptake evident in tef accession PI494425 could not be explained by seed Fe content. The Fe content of PI-494425 was lower than the other tef accessions, suggesting that other factors control the amount of bioavailable Fe from tef. Considerable variation in mineral content and bioavailable Fe between tef and other cereals indicate a potential for improving mineral nutrition from this vital food crop