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Successful results have been obtained in the studies to create a national seed stock for oilseed plants, carried out in cooperation with the Research Institutes of the DB Agricultural Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture.
For the first time in the world, the cephalaria (pelemir) plant, whose R&D studies were completed to be used in glycerin and biodiesel production, was planted under contract in Altıntaş district of Kütahya. Pelemir plant was introduced to the farmers in the region at the field day event organized with the participation of the farmers in Altıntaş district before the harvest.
Despite the dry season this year, it was stated that good yields are expected in the cephalaria harvest, which will be held for the first time in July. Altıntaş Mayor Arif Teke, Altıntaş Chamber of Agriculture President Hikmet Koyak, Kütahya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and Altıntaş District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry officials and many farmers attended the ‘Cephalaria Field Day’ event held in Altıntaş district of Kütahya.
In the speeches made during the field day event, it was stated that cephalaria plant is more resistant to drought than other cultivated plants. Stating that 35 thousand kilograms of seeds will be obtained as a result of the studies carried out, Nezih Suyaran, DB Agricultural Energy Agricultural Projects Manager, said, “We expect a yield of 120 kg/da during the harvest period from the seed plantings completed under contract with the Karahan variety. In the next period, we will distribute the seeds to our planters for contracted cephalaria plantings on an area of 15 thousand decares.”
“Cephalaria will become an important alternation plant in our country in the coming years. As a winter plant, Cephalaria stands out as it provides good yields in marginal plantings with less dense and nutrient-poor soils without irrigation facilities. We continue to work on gaining new variety candidates for this crop within the scope of the TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technical Research Institute of Turkey) Project, which we carry out with İzzet Baysal University Faculty of Agriculture,” Suyaran explained.
Stating that Turkey’s renewable energy transformation process continues rapidly in parallel with the developments in the world, DB Agricultural Energy Chairman Selçuk Borovalı underlined that they are working to increase the share of bioenergy as an important part of this process.
“As a result of our studies last year, we saw that the Cephalaria plant is suitable for high quality glycerin and biodiesel production,” Borovalı added…
