Oilseed

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RAPESEED - MUSTARD (Brassica species)

Rapeseed (Toria, Sarson and Canola/Gobi Sarson) and mustard (Raya, Peela raya and Taramira) are traditional oilseed crops and are being grown in this region for centuries. In Pakistan after cotton, rapeseed/mustard and canola are the major oilseed crops grown on an area of about 365,000 ha (75% under irrigated and 25% rainfed ) with a production of 350,000 tons annually.

Area, Production and Yield of Rapeseed/Mustard and Canola Crops in Pakistan

Year	RAPESEED/MUSTARD*			CANOLA**
	Area	Production	Yield	Area	Production	Yield
	(000, ha)	(000, t)	(kg/ha)	(000, ha)	(000, t)	(kg/ha)
2000-01	272	231	836	34	43	1279
2001-02	269	221	823	49	73	1478
2002-03	281	235	837	90	136	1506
2003-04	280	238	851	107	159	1483
2004-05	243	203	835	117	144	1235
2005-06	234	188	803	131	162	1239

Source: * Agriculture Statistics of Pakistan, 2003-04** Economic Survey of Pakistan.2005-06

Rapeseed-mustard seed is in rich oil and protein and contains 40-46% oil and 18-22% protein. Canola are specially bred rapeseed varieties, high yielding with low erucic acid in oil and low glucosinolates in meal. The nutritional quality of rapeseed has been improved through the development of canola quality rapeseed. Concerted efforts were made by Government and private agencies for successful introduction of canola in the country. As a result, canola is now being grown on an area of 130,000 ha annually.

RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT OF RAPESEED/MUSTARD AND CANOLA

Objectives of the research program.

To develop high yielding and early maturing with canola quality rapeseed-mustard varieties/hybrids
To develop and promote new production technology.
To collaborate with private sector for promotion of rapeseed/mustard and canola cultivation on commercial scale

ACHIEVEMENTS
Research and development efforts of Oilseeds Research Programme have made tangible achievements in rapeseed/mustard and canola crops:

Variety Development

The following varieties has been developed by the Oilseed Program, NARC.

Variety Name		Name of Institution (year of release)	Yield potential (kg/ha)		Area of Recommendation Eco-zone/Province	Main characteristics
Rapeseed (canola) varieties
Westar	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1991)			2100	Northern Punjab and NWFP	High yield potential, canola quality
Shiralee	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1991)			2500	Northern Punjab and NWFP	High yield potential, canola quality and drought tolerant
CON-I	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1996)			2800	Northern Punjab and NWFP	Early maturing, high yielding, dwarf and canola quality
CON-II	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1996)			2500	Northern Punjab and NWFP	Medium maturing, high yielding and canola quality
CON-III	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1996)			2500	Northern Punjab and NWFP	Medium to late maturing, high yielding and canola quality
Pakola	Oilseeds Program, NARC (in VEC)			2620	Punjab and NWFP	Locally bred canola, high yield, adaptable in local environment
Mustard varieties
BARD-I	Oilseeds Program, NARC (1990)			2900	Southern Punjab, Chakwal area and D.I. Khan (NWFP)	High yield, heat and drought tolerant and seed shattering resistant
Canola Raya	Oilseeds Program, NARC (in VEC)			2350	Central & southern Punjab	Locally bred canola mustard, with medium maturing & drought tolerant

Development of Canola Quality Mustard

Mustard is the dominating Brassica species, grown on about 65% of total rapeseed-mustard area. It is early maturing, resistance to plant lodging and seed shattering, tolerant to heat and drought. In addition, mustard species are resistance to deadly disease "blackleg" and less attractive to injurious pest "aphids". But it contain high erucic acid in oil and glucosinolates in meal making it unfavourable for use. Therefore, main avenue of research at the Oilseed program is the development of canola type mustard. In this connection canola quality character has been incorporated into the locally adopted mustard varieties successfully. The promising canola mustard varieties were under testing for seed yield and adaptability.

Development of Canola Hybrid

The potential of yield increase in Open-pollinated varieties is limited. However, yield can be increased with the development of hybrid cultivars. A number of studies in oilseed Brassica indicated that hybrid cultivars are more productive (up to 40%) than OP-varieties. Thus heterosis breeding could be a potential alternative for substantially increasing the production of canola in Pakistan. To achieve maximum vertical increase and hence productivity, canola type hybrids were introduced in the country during 1995 by ICI Pakistan Limited. This showed promising results. Keeping in view its importance, the Oilseed Program at NARC, has initiated the hybrid development program. A number of A, B and R lines have been developed. The new hybrid combinations has been developed using existing inbred lines and evaluated. The promising canola hybrids were under testing for seed yield potential and adaptability.

Improved Production Technology

Rapeseed and Mustard

Soil:	All types of soils are suitable except water logged and acid soils with high Alumunium and Manganese
Seedbed Preparation:	2 � 3 ploughings + 1-2 planking
Planting time:	North Punjab South Punjab NWFP Sindh Balochistan	= 1^st October to 31^st October = 15^th October to 15^th November = Mid September to Mid October = Mid October to Mid November = Mid October to Mid November
Seed Rate:	Line sowing Broadcast	= 4-5 kg/ha = 5-6 kg/ha
Method of Planting:	Row to row distance Plant to plant distance Seed depth	= 30-45 cm = 4-5 cm = 2-3 cm

Fertilizer:	Nitrogen	= 90 kg/ha
	Phosphorus (P₂O₅)	= 60 kg/ha
	Potash	= 50 kg/ha

Irrigations: 3-4 i) at bud initiation (ii) at flowering iii) at pod development (iv) at seed development

Aphid Control :	Spray of Dimecron @ 200 ml/acre or primore @250/ gm/acre
Harvesting:	Matures in 180-190 days, harvest when 30-40% seeds mature and turn brown in the main stem
Threshing:	Sundry for 8-10 days and then thresh
Drying & Storage:	Dry seed upto 8-10% moisture level and store at dry places

Potential Areas:

Punjab	= Attock, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Kasur, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Multan,Vehari, Muzaffar Garh, Bahawal naga, R.Y. Khan.
Sindh	= Khairpur, Sukhar, Larkana, Jacobabad, Nawab Shah, Sanghar, Dadu
NWFP	= Mardan, Dir, Swat, D.I.Khan and Bajor Agency.
Balochistan	= Nasirabad, Jafarabad, Jhal Magsi, Dera Murad Jamal

MAIN DISEASES OF RAPESEED

Sclerotinia Stem and Root Rot (Sclerotinia sclerotioram)
Symptoms: All parts of the plants i.e., stem, root, pod and leaves are attacked. Infected areas show cottony mycelium growth associated with large, round to irregular shaped, black sclerotia (2-15 mm in size). Sclerotia also develop within the pith. At maturity, the diseased tissue tends to shred upon handling. Releasing sclerotia into the soil or in the crop as it is harvested. Occasionally sclerotia are found in pods, side branches. Pods may also be infected and killed.

Control:

Deep ploughing of soil will help to minimize the disease because burial of sclerotia at 8 cm checks the formation of apothecia and ascospores.
A long rotation with at least four years between susceptible crops to reduce the incidence and severity of disease.
Susceptible weed and volunteer plants should be destroyed to reduce the disease problem.
Routine cleaning of seed followed: spiral cleaner removes nearly all sclerotia. This, too, will reduce the inoculum in the field.
Seed treatment (for control of seed contamination by sclerotia of the pathogen), apply Thiabendazole at the rate of 400 mg/100 kg seed.

Stem, Leaf and Pod Spots, (Alternaria black spots)

Symptoms: The disease first appear on the cotyledons with light brown spots which rapidly turn black due to appearance of spore masses and act as source of infection for other healthy plant. Leaf spots range from gray to black depending upon moisture conditions. Each leaf lesion may be surrounded by chlorotic area. Lesions consisting of well marked concentric zones are often seen. Defoliation is an important consequence of leaf infection. Stem and pods spots are brown to black and may become large frequently developing grayish centre.

Control Measures

Early varieties of rape may reduce loss due to Alternaria black spot.
Weed control appears to be more critical for this disease.
Use quality seed to reduce the inoculum of the pathogen.
Seed treatment with fungicides is beneficial to control seed borne diseases.
Resistant varieties provide the most economical way to control the disease.
Foliar sprays with systemic fungicide control the disease to some extent but is unpractical for large acreage.

HARVESTING: Harvesting is a critical operation, its harvesting at optimum time is very important because early harvesting can reduce seed quality and late harvesting can enhance pod shattering. Harvesting of Rapeseed-mustard is recommended when all the seeds are black and seed moisture is less then 15% (when 60-70% pods turn yellow). Crop should be harvested early in the morning. When the plants are moist, otherwise yield losses occur due to shattering.

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES

Canola type: Bulbul-98, Dora-e-nifa, Pakola, NIFA raya, Canola raya, Hyola 401 (Hybrid)

Non-Canola type: BARD-1, Peela raya, Khanpur raya, Bahawalpur raya, Chakwal raya, Chakwal sarson

AVAIILABRATY OF SEED

Agricultural Research Institute, Tarnab, Peshawar,
Regional offices of Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB)
ICI, Pakistan Ltd. Lahore (for purchase of hybrid seed).

Resource Person:

Dr. Abdul Rashid, SSO

abdulrashid57@yahoo.com

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[Last updated: April 18, 2007]