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Brassica carinata A. Braun is a non‐edible, oilseed winter crop for biofuel production that can diversify crop rotations and improve integrated weed management. The research objective was to evaluate the influence of B. carinata on weed population dynamics in the southeastern United States cropping systems. B. carinata was grown after cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), peanut (Arachis hypogea L.), or a clean summer fallow, and winter weed pressure was modified with or without S‐metolachlor. The emergence of Lamium amplexicaule L. increased at least 40% after cotton or peanut in 2018–2019 and 50% after cotton in 2019–2020 compared to summer fallow. Stellaria media (L.) Vill. emergence was increased over threefold after peanut or cotton in 2019–2020. Senna obtusifolia (L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby emergence after cotton was increased at least 43% during both experimental years, whereas Amaranthus hybridus L. emergence was increased over 50% after peanut in 2019–2020 compared to summer fallow. Even without S‐metolachlor, B. carinata reduced A. hybridus (>27%) and S. obtusifolia (>25%) emergence compared to weedy winter fallow. After B. carinata harvest, A. hybridus emergence was reduced >40% with or without S‐metolachlor compared to winter fallow in 2018–2019. Overall, B. carinata biomass was highest after peanut for both seasons. B. carinata seed yield did not differ among crop history treatments in the first season, whereas in 2019–2020, the yield was higher after peanut (2417 kg ha−1) or fallow (2520 kg ha−1) compared to cotton (1710 kg ha−1). Weed management treatments were not different for B. carinata biomass or yield in any year. The results indicate that B. carinata can enhance integrated weed management strategies at the rotational level for summer crops by reducing seed banks of summer weed species, in addition to its potential as a winter biofuel crop for the southeastern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Performance of 11 Brassica carinata genotypes was evaluated for agronomically important traits. • Seasonal variation in environmental conditions, such as precipitation and temperature influenced agronomic performance. • Significant correlations were observed between seed and oil yield; bolting and flowering; bolting and maturity. • Principal component analysis clustered genotypes with high oil content, erucic acid content and protein content together. Brassica carinata A. Braun, grown as a winter crop on underutilized agricultural land in the southeast United States (SE US), may provide a new rotation alternative and augment income for producers. Widespread adoption of Brassica carinata as a winter crop in the SE US requires varieties with cold tolerance, acceptable and stable seed yield, oil content, protein content so that the crop will be complementary with the normal cultivation of summer crops such as cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of 11 Brassica carinata genotypes for agronomically important traits including seed yield, oil and protein content, oil quality, days to bolting, flowering and maturity at three locations during two growing seasons (2015–2017) as a winter crop in the SE US. Interactions between genotype and environment played a crucial role in overall agronomic performance. This study provides key information on the effect of environmental conditions, such as precipitation and temperature on the agronomic performance of carinata along with generation of information related to region-specific requirements for the crop in the SE US. Days to maturity ranged from 154 to 165 days. The average yield of the 11 genotypes tested ranged from 2814 kg/ha to 3401 kg/ha, which were improved from earlier studies, demonstrating gain due to regional selection and breeding efforts. Total oil content ranged from 42.0 % to 52.4 %, while the erucic acid (C22:1) content ranged from 40.7 % to 42.9 % on a whole seed basis. Based on these results, specific genotypes with consistently high seed yield, oil, erucic acid and protein content with shorter life cycle irrespective of location or year were identified. Brassica carinata has potential as a viable bioenergy winter crop to be integrated into the cropping systems in the SE US and other regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]