Meadowfoam
Meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba) is a low growing herbaceous winter annual that is adapted to poorly drained soils.
Its name arose due to the appearance at full bloom of its solid canopy of creamy white flowers.
The oil from meadowfoam seed is similar to that of high erucic acid rapeseed oil. Meadowfoam oil can be converted to a light coloured premium grade solid wax, potentially valuable to the rubber industry or as a lubricant or detergent. The remaining meal can also be used as a livestock feed.
Meadowfoam grows well on most soil types, with a moderately fine seedbed being preferred for sowing and establishment. Sowing is best around mid-October, although it has been grown as a spring crop in areas where winter temperatures do not allow autumn sowing. Research plots have produced yields of over 2.25t/ha, however field scale production has never been able to match this due to a combination of disease and pollination problems, therefore yields of closer to 0.8t/ha should be expected.
Studies from America have shown that applying nitrogen to the crop helps to increase yield, however over applications may result in delayed flowering, increased disease problems and a decrease in the oil content of the seeds.
