Introduction & botanical description
These crops are grown under a wide range of agro-climatic conditions. Indian mustard is the most important member of the group, accounting for more than 70% of the area under rapeseed-mustard, followed by toria, yellow sarson and brown sarson. Taramira is raised on very poor sandy soils with low rainfall. Mustard and sarson group of plants, however, are grown both on sandy and heavy soils under irrigated as well as rainfed conditions. These crops are commonly cultivated in areas of marginal and submarginal productivity, either mixed or intercropped with wheat, barley, gram, pea, sugarcane, lentil etc. In areas of advanced agronomy, they are chiefly grown as pure crop.
The oil content varies from 37 to 49%. The seed and oil are used as condiment in the preparation of pickles and for flavouring curries and vegetables. The oil is utilized for human consumption throughout the northern India, in cooking and frying purposes. It is also used in the preparation of hair oils and medicines. It is used in the manufacture of greases. The oil cake is used as feed and manure. Green stem and leaves are a good source of green fodder for cattle. The oil cakes contain ‘sinirgin’, that causes palatability problem due to its bitter taste, and glucosinolate that limits use of oil cake as protein supplement. The leaves of young plants are used as green vegetables as they supply sulphur and minerals in the diet. In the tanning industry, mustard oil is used for softening leather.
Botanical description :-
It is a herbaceous annual plant. The plant is shorter in height (45-150 cm) than mustard (rai). The roots are more or less confined to surface layers with an extensive lateral spread. The stem is usually covered with a waxy deposit. In rape, leaves are borne sessile and are glabrous and hairy. Fruits are thicker than those of mustard (rai) and are laterally compressed, with a beak one-third to half their length. Seeds are either yellow or brown with a smooth seed coat. Rape is self-pollinated, but cross pollination also takes place to some extent.
Mustard (Brassica juncea) ;
It is known as rai, raya or laha. The plants are tall (90-200 cm), erect and more branched. The plant bears normally long and tapering roots. The leaves are not dilated at the base and clasping as in the case of rape, but are stalked, broad and pinnatified. The fruits (pods) are selender and only 2.0-6.5 cm long strongly ascending or erect with short and stout beaks. The colour of seed is brown or dark brown. Seed coat is rough. Mustard is self-pollinated, but cross-pollination also takes place to some extent.
Flowers of both the species have 4 sepals and 4 petals of deep yellow to pale yellow colour. Each flower has 6 stamens; 4 with long and 2 with short filaments. The pistil is compound, which is separated by a false septum, thus providing 2 chambers.
The oil content varies from 37 to 49%. The seed and oil are used as condiment in the preparation of pickles and for flavouring curries and vegetables. The oil is utilized for human consumption throughout the northern India, in cooking and frying purposes. It is also used in the preparation of hair oils and medicines. It is used in the manufacture of greases. The oil cake is used as feed and manure. Green stem and leaves are a good source of green fodder for cattle. The oil cakes contain ‘sinirgin’, that causes palatability problem due to its bitter taste, and glucosinolate that limits use of oil cake as protein supplement. The leaves of young plants are used as green vegetables as they supply sulphur and minerals in the diet. In the tanning industry, mustard oil is used for softening leather.
Botanical description :-
It is a herbaceous annual plant. The plant is shorter in height (45-150 cm) than mustard (rai). The roots are more or less confined to surface layers with an extensive lateral spread. The stem is usually covered with a waxy deposit. In rape, leaves are borne sessile and are glabrous and hairy. Fruits are thicker than those of mustard (rai) and are laterally compressed, with a beak one-third to half their length. Seeds are either yellow or brown with a smooth seed coat. Rape is self-pollinated, but cross pollination also takes place to some extent.
Mustard (Brassica juncea) ;
It is known as rai, raya or laha. The plants are tall (90-200 cm), erect and more branched. The plant bears normally long and tapering roots. The leaves are not dilated at the base and clasping as in the case of rape, but are stalked, broad and pinnatified. The fruits (pods) are selender and only 2.0-6.5 cm long strongly ascending or erect with short and stout beaks. The colour of seed is brown or dark brown. Seed coat is rough. Mustard is self-pollinated, but cross-pollination also takes place to some extent.
Flowers of both the species have 4 sepals and 4 petals of deep yellow to pale yellow colour. Each flower has 6 stamens; 4 with long and 2 with short filaments. The pistil is compound, which is separated by a false septum, thus providing 2 chambers.