Winter camelina seed yield and quality responses to harvest time

•Winter camelina seed yield and oil content reached maximum when cumulative growing degree days were between 1200–1300 °C d.•Seed quality traits (carbon and protein contents) optimize before the crop reached physiological maturity.•At physiological maturity, seed moisture content was approximately 410 g kg−1.•Seed content of linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids declined, while that of linolenic and eicosenoic acids increased as seeds matured, reaching stable levels by physiological maturity.