8.2 Production of Brassica Species and B. nigra
The recent increase in the agricultural production of B. nigra has been mostly due to
its usage as a medicine and home remedy (Amare et al. 2015). Additionally, the
B. nigra plant is also widely grown to obtain oil for industrial purposes as well as a
nutritionally valued seed meal (Hirani et al. 2012; Mourato et al. 2015). Brassica
oilseed species are the third most cultivated oilseed crops globally, although B. nigra
is grown on a very small scale in contrast with its other species (B. campestris,
B. napus, B. juncea and B. carinata) (Ashraf and McNeilly 2004). All of its plant
parts including its terminal buds, stem, inflorescences, leaves, roots and seeds are
edible. The higher nutritional and functional values of B. nigra oil are some of the
key areas which are considered for crop improvement (Augustine et al. 2014). The
seeds produce their maximum yield under normal soil and environmental conditions,
although their growth, seed yield and oil production may reduce remarkably by
environmental stresses such as drought, waterlogging, salinity, low or high temperature, nutrient deficiency or excess (Ashraf and McNeilly 2004).
In Europe, the overall production of oils from seeds belonging to the family
Brassicaceae has been estimated to be approximately 70 million tons/annum with an
average consumption per person of approximately 3–5 kg per annum (Björkman
et al. 2011). Canada was the highest exporter of B. nigra during 2004–2008 (Alvarez
and Boye 2012). B. nigra seed oil has a variety of food applications (which have
been elaborated in Table 8.2). The seed extracts of B. nigra are also used in the
industry as antimicrobial agents and for industrial biofilms (Jahangir et al. 2009). In
addition, inorganic phosphorous was also recorded in the B. nigra seeds (Chanda
and Chakrabarti 1996), and the B. nigra leaf was recorded to contain other types of
minerals such as Fe (241.20 mg/100 g), Zn (5.50 mg/100 g), Cu (1.90 mg/100 g),
Mn (102. 73 mg/100 g), Na (62.06 mg/100 g), K (73.83 mg/100 g), Ca (67.13) and
Mg (15.96 mg/100 g) (Saha et al. 2015). All of these minerals in B. nigra are very
important for building strong bones, teeth, skin, hair, nerve function and muscles and
maintaining good blood circulation for metabolic processes.
8.3 Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of various parts of the B. nigra plant in terms of
carbohydrates, proteins (in crude form and amino acids) and lipids is shown in
Table 8.1. Studies which focus only on the composition of the seed are scarce, while
most studies have been carried out on the leaf of the plant, and thus, the information
provided in the table has been arranged accordingly.
8 Mustard (Brassica nigra) Seed
193
The recent increase in the agricultural production of B. nigra has been mostly due to
its usage as a medicine and home remedy (Amare et al. 2015). Additionally, the
B. nigra plant is also widely grown to obtain oil for industrial purposes as well as a
nutritionally valued seed meal (Hirani et al. 2012; Mourato et al. 2015). Brassica
oilseed species are the third most cultivated oilseed crops globally, although B. nigra
is grown on a very small scale in contrast with its other species (B. campestris,
B. napus, B. juncea and B. carinata) (Ashraf and McNeilly 2004). All of its plant
parts including its terminal buds, stem, inflorescences, leaves, roots and seeds are
edible. The higher nutritional and functional values of B. nigra oil are some of the
key areas which are considered for crop improvement (Augustine et al. 2014). The
seeds produce their maximum yield under normal soil and environmental conditions,
although their growth, seed yield and oil production may reduce remarkably by
environmental stresses such as drought, waterlogging, salinity, low or high temperature, nutrient deficiency or excess (Ashraf and McNeilly 2004).
In Europe, the overall production of oils from seeds belonging to the family
Brassicaceae has been estimated to be approximately 70 million tons/annum with an
average consumption per person of approximately 3–5 kg per annum (Björkman
et al. 2011). Canada was the highest exporter of B. nigra during 2004–2008 (Alvarez
and Boye 2012). B. nigra seed oil has a variety of food applications (which have
been elaborated in Table 8.2). The seed extracts of B. nigra are also used in the
industry as antimicrobial agents and for industrial biofilms (Jahangir et al. 2009). In
addition, inorganic phosphorous was also recorded in the B. nigra seeds (Chanda
and Chakrabarti 1996), and the B. nigra leaf was recorded to contain other types of
minerals such as Fe (241.20 mg/100 g), Zn (5.50 mg/100 g), Cu (1.90 mg/100 g),
Mn (102. 73 mg/100 g), Na (62.06 mg/100 g), K (73.83 mg/100 g), Ca (67.13) and
Mg (15.96 mg/100 g) (Saha et al. 2015). All of these minerals in B. nigra are very
important for building strong bones, teeth, skin, hair, nerve function and muscles and
maintaining good blood circulation for metabolic processes.
8.3 Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of various parts of the B. nigra plant in terms of
carbohydrates, proteins (in crude form and amino acids) and lipids is shown in
Table 8.1. Studies which focus only on the composition of the seed are scarce, while
most studies have been carried out on the leaf of the plant, and thus, the information
provided in the table has been arranged accordingly.
8 Mustard (Brassica nigra) Seed
193