False Flax PENZYAK

Penzyak is an early-maturing variety of winter rape (Camelina sativa) bred at the Penza Research Institute of Agriculture. The bush is hairy, semi-closed, 70-100 cm high, with an erect, branched, and woody stem. Lower branches attach at a height of 5–30 cm; leaves are undivided and green. Inflorescences are elongated racemes with small flowers having yellow petals; the pod is pear-shaped, 7–8 mm long. Seeds are elongated-oval, reddish-brown, with a 1000-seed mass of 0.9–1.2 g.

The variety is characterized by early maturation and a vegetative period of 275 to 310 days. Upon wintering, growth continues for 72–85 days. Penzyak has high winter hardiness (92–97 %) and frost hardiness (95–99 %), is drought resistant, and resists shattering and lodging. It suffers from mildew from a weak to moderate degree, and flea beetles do not damage the plant.

Seed yield reaches 2.10 t/ha without fertilizer application; with an oil content of 38–40 %, oil collection amounts to 0.47–0.65 t/ha. Fat content in seeds is 40.1–42 %, and erucic acid is 2.7–2.8 %. This makes Penzyak attractive for food purposes, as well as for the production of biofuels and feed products.