INDOLA: Development and utilization of quality mustard (Brassica juncea) oil

Abstract

 Oilseed Brassica commonly known as rapeseed mustard is the most important source of edible oil in India next to soybean. The proportion of different fatty acids in edible oil determines its suitability for consumption. Erucic acid is a nutritionally undesirable fatty acid present in the rapeseed-mustard seed oil, reported to cause heart-related diseases. De-oiled seed meal is an excellent source of animal/poultry feed due to its high-quality protein content but glucosinolates, another anti-nutritional factor diminishes the value of the de-oiled cake. After a lead from the Canadian plant breeders, Indian researchers initiated the efforts to reduce these two anti-nutritional factors in Indian mustard to Canola/double zero standards (having erucic acid <2% in oil and glucosinolates <30 μmoles/g in defatted seed meal) and subsequently developed a good number of varieties. We proposed the name of these indigenously developed double zero varieties/genotypes as INDOLA. To meet the increasing demand for quality edible oil and to reduce the expenditure on the import of Canola oil, a lot of innovations spanning over research, extension, and policy framework are needed for the development and utilization of INDOLA varieties.