Mustard plant

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Flower of mustard plant Mustard plant flower.jpg
Flower of mustard plant

The mustard plant is any one of several plant species in the genera Brassica , Rhamphospermum and Sinapis in the family Brassicaceae (the mustard family). Mustard seed is used as a spice. Grinding and mixing the seeds with water, vinegar, or other liquids creates the yellow condiment known as prepared mustard. The seeds can also be pressed to make mustard oil, and the edible leaves can be eaten as mustard greens. Many vegetables are cultivated varieties of mustard plants; domestication may have begun 6,000 years ago.

Contents

History

Mustard Plant and Butterflies, early or middle Ming dynasty c. 1368-1550 Mustard Plant and Butterflies.jpg
Mustard Plant and Butterflies, early or middle Ming dynasty c. 1368–1550

Although some varieties of mustard plants were well-established crops in Hellenistic and Roman times, Zohary and Hopf note, "There are almost no archeological records available for any of these crops." Wild forms of mustard and its relatives, the radish and turnip, can be found over West Asia and Europe, suggesting their domestication took place somewhere in that area. However, Zohary and Hopf conclude: "Suggestions as to the origins of these plants are necessarily based on linguistic considerations." [1] The Encyclopædia Britannica states that mustard was grown by the Indus Civilization of 2500–1700 BC. [2] According to the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission, "Some of the earliest known documentation of mustard's use dates back to Sumerian and Sanskrit texts from 3000 BC". [3]

A wide-ranging genetic study of B. rapa announced in 2021 concluded that the species may have been domesticated as long as 6,000 years ago in Central Asia, and that turnips or oilseeds may have been the first product. The results also suggested that a taxonomic re-evaluation of the species might be needed. [4]

Species

Wild white mustard (Sinapis alba) WhiteMustard.jpg
Wild white mustard (Sinapis alba)

White mustard (Sinapis alba) grows wild in North Africa, West Asia, and Mediterranean Europe, and has spread farther by long cultivation; brown mustard ( Brassica juncea ), originally from the foothills of the Himalayas, is grown commercially in India, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Bangladesh [5] and the United States; black mustard ( Brassica nigra ) is grown in Argentina, Chile, the US, and some European countries. Canada and Nepal are the world's major producers of mustard seed, between them accounting for around 57% of world production in 2010. [6] White mustard is commonly used as a cover crop in Europe (between UK and Ukraine). Many varieties exist, e.g., in Germany [7] and the Netherlands, [8] mainly differing in lateness of flowering and resistance against white beet-cyst nematode ( Heterodera schachtii ). Farmers prefer late-flowering varieties, which do not produce seeds; they may become weeds in the subsequent year. Early vigor is important to cover the soil quickly and suppress weeds and protect the soil against erosion. In rotations with sugar beets, suppression of the white beet-cyst nematode is an important trait. Resistant white mustard varieties reduce nematode populations by 70–90%.[ citation needed ]

Recent research has studied varieties of mustards with high oil contents for use in the production of biodiesel, a renewable liquid fuel similar to diesel fuel. The biodiesel made from mustard oil has good flow properties and cetane ratings. The leftover meal after pressing out the oil has also been found to be an effective pesticide. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turnip</span> Type of root vegetable

The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock. The name turnip – used in many regions – may also include rutabaga, neep or swede.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmer</span> Type of wheat

Emmer wheat or hulled wheat is a type of awned wheat. Emmer is a tetraploid. The domesticated types are Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccum and T. t. conv. durum. The wild plant is called T. t. subsp. dicoccoides. The principal difference between the wild and the domestic forms is that the ripened seed head of the wild plant shatters and scatters the seed onto the ground, while in the domesticated emmer, the seed head remains intact, thus making it easier for humans to harvest the grain.

<i>Brassica</i> Genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family Brassicaceae

Brassica is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, mustard plants, or simply brassicas. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops—derived from the Latin caulis, denoting the stem or stalk of a plant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radish</span> Root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae

The radish is an edible root vegetable of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times.

<i>Beta vulgaris</i> Species of flowering plant

Beta vulgaris (beet) is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Betoideae of the family Amaranthaceae. Economically, it is the most important crop of the large order Caryophyllales. It has several cultivar groups: the sugar beet, of greatest importance to produce table sugar; the root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet; the leaf vegetable known as chard or spinach beet or silverbeet; and mangelwurzel, which is a fodder crop. Three subspecies are typically recognised. All cultivars, despite their quite different morphologies, fall into the subspecies Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris. The wild ancestor of the cultivated beets is the sea beet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapeseed</span> Plant species grown for its oil-rich seed

Rapeseed, also known as oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae, cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains appreciable amounts of erucic acid. The term "canola" denotes a group of rapeseed cultivars that were bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and which are especially prized for use as human and animal food. Rapeseed is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cover crop</span> Crop planted to manage erosion and soil quality

In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in an agroecosystem—an ecological system managed and shaped by humans. Cover crops can increase microbial activity in the soil, which has a positive effect on nitrogen availability, nitrogen uptake in target crops, and crop yields. Cover crops may be an off-season crop planted after harvesting the cash crop. Cover crops are nurse crops in that they increase the survival of the main crop being harvested, and are often grown over the winter. In the United States, cover cropping may cost as much as $35 per acre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collard (plant)</span> Variety of plant

Collard is a group of loose-leafed cultivars of Brassica oleracea, the same species as many common vegetables including cabbage and broccoli. Part of the Acephala (kale) cultivar group, it is also classified as the variety B. oleracea var. viridis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese cabbage</span> Vegetable of the bok choy plant

Chinese cabbage is either of two cultivar groups of leaf vegetables often used in Chinese cuisine: the Pekinensis Group and the Chinensis Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Founder crops</span> Original agricultural crops

The founder crops or primary domesticates are a group of flowering plants that were domesticated by early farming communities in Southwest Asia and went on to form the basis of agricultural economies across Eurasia. As originally defined by Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, they consisted of three cereals, four pulses, and flax. Subsequent research has indicated that many other species could be considered founder crops. These species were amongst the first domesticated plants in the world.

<i>Rhamphospermum nigrum</i> Species of plant

Rhamphospermum nigrum, black mustard, is an annual plant cultivated for its dark-brown-to-black seeds, which are commonly used as a spice. It is native to cooler regions of North Africa, temperate regions of Europe, and parts of Asia.

<i>Brassica rapa</i> Species of flowering plant

Brassica rapa is a plant species growing in various widely cultivated forms including the turnip ; Komatsuna, napa cabbage, bomdong, bok choy, and rapini.

<i>Brassica juncea</i> Species of flowering plant

Brassica juncea, commonly brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard, is a species of mustard plant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White mustard</span> Species of flowering plant

White mustard is an annual plant of the family Brassicaceae. It is sometimes also referred to as Brassica alba or B. hirta. Grown for its seeds, it is used to make the condiment mustard, as a fodder crop, or as a green manure. It is now widespread worldwide, although it probably originated in the Mediterranean region.

<i>Thlaspi arvense</i> Species of flowering plant in the cabbage family Brassicaceae

Thlaspi arvense, known by the common name field pennycress, is a flowering plant in the cabbage family Brassicaceae. It is native to Eurasia, and is a common weed throughout much of North America and its home.

<i>Rhamphospermum arvense</i> Species of plant

Rhamphospermum arvense, the charlock mustard, field mustard, wild mustard, or just charlock, is an annual or winter annual plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is found in the fields of North Africa, Asia, Europe, and some other areas where it has been transported and naturalized. Pieris rapae, the small white butterfly, and Pieris napi, the green veined white butterfly, are significant consumers of charlock during their larval stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Napa cabbage</span> Subspecies of flowering plant

Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China that is widely used in East Asian cuisine. Since the 20th century, it has also become a widespread crop in Europe, the Americas and Australia. In much of the world, it is referred to as "Chinese cabbage". In Australia it is sometimes referred to as "wombok".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crop wild relative</span> Wild plant closely related to a domesticated plant

A crop wild relative (CWR) is a wild plant closely related to a domesticated plant. It may be a wild ancestor of the domesticated (cultivated) plant or another closely related taxon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mustard (condiment)</span> Condiment made from mustard seeds

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant.

<i>Psylliodes chrysocephala</i> Species of beetle

Psylliodes chrysocephala or Psylliodes chrysocephalus, commonly known as the cabbage-stem flea beetle, is a species of leaf beetle situated in the subfamily Galerucinae and the tribe Alticini.

References

  1. Zohary, Daniel; Hopf, Maria; Weiss, Ehud (2012). Domestication of Plants in the Old World: The Origin and Spread of Domesticated Plants in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean Basin (Fourth ed.). Oxford: University Press. p. 139.
  2. "Indus civilization | History, Location, Map, Artifacts, Language, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  3. "What is Mustard?". Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission. Mustard Consumer Website. SMDC 2011. Web. 16 March 2016 < "The Mustard Site | What is Mustard?". Archived from the original on 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2016-03-16.>.
  4. Alex C McAlvay, Aaron P Ragsdale, Makenzie E Mabry, Xinshuai Qi, Kevin A Bird, Pablo Velasco, Hong An, J Chris Pires, Eve Emshwiller, Brassica rapa Domestication: Untangling Wild and Feral Forms and Convergence of Crop Morphotypes, Molecular Biology and Evolution, msab108, https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab108, 30 April 2021.
  5. "Excellent mustard production likely in Rangpur region". Dhaka Tribune. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  6. "FAOSTAT Countries by Commodity". UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
  7. BSL Getreide 2015 getreide 2015.pdf www.bundessortenamt.de/bsa/media/Files/BSL/bsl_getreide_2015.pdf
  8. "Brancheorganisatie Akkerbouw" (PDF). www.kennisakker.nl. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  9. "Industrial mustard crops for biodiesel and biopesticides" (PDF). 17 November 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2004.