By Nimra Abbas, Hafiza Ume Habiba, Hajra Tabbasam
Mustard tolerates heat and drought, so in drier soil areas it is well suited to grow properly. With cereal crops for its young leaves or green manure and seeds it is oftenly grown in crop rotation. The use of mustard in crop rotations is desirable due to its effect on residue conditions in the field, disease, weed, insect problems. Ideally, it is grown after a cereal crop. It is generally grown stubble in moist and dry areas and on stubble or summer fallow respectively.
Mustard tolerates heat and drought, so in drier soil areas it is well suited to grow properly. With cereal crops for its young leaves or green manure and seeds it is oftenly grown in crop rotation. The use of mustard in crop rotations is desirable due to its effect on residue conditions in the field, disease, weed, insect problems. Ideally, it is grown after a cereal crop. It is generally grown stubble in moist and dry areas and on stubble or summer fallow respectively.
It originates from the Mediterranean region. Globally it is found as a harvested plant species and also as weed. Among the different varieties of mustard, the three principal ones are Brassica hirta (yellow-white), B. nigra (black), and B. juncea (brown). Brassica hirta is a native of Eastern Mediterranean regions. In the foothills of the Himalayas B. juncea is present. B. nigra comes from the Middle East. Brassica juncea is commonly known as mustard seeds. In India it is called as Kadugu, Rai, Shorshe, and Sarso Rapeseed-mustard is the second most valuable source of oil after cotton crop in Pakistan. And annual production is 233,000 tonnes it is harvested over an area of 307,000. It being grown in this zone for centuries and known as traditional oilseed crop.
History:
Mustard has been known from the ancient times and seeds were used as spice. Dating back to 3000 BCE it is described in Sumerian and Indian texts. In Bible and in Roman and Greek writings mustard plants are frequently mentioned. In the New Testament, the tiny mustard seed is a symbol of faith.
During the 20th century the use of mustard as a spice or condiment has grown to the extent. It is the largest spice by volume in world trade. In the U.S principally, it is unusual among spices grown in temperate regions of the world. Canadian Great Plains, in Britain, and in Hungary and its little amounts in other countries present. Main producing countries of mustard crop n is totally mechanized.
Nutritional Uses:
Young seedling leaves, which are rich in vitamin, C, and E. These are edible as fresh and tasty salad leaves and have a medicinal value to purify blood. White mustard seed has significant agronomic value due to its high protein and oil contents and low starch content. Its well-balanced amino acid profile makes the seed an attractive source of food-grade proteins.
Medicinal Uses:
Different parts of the plants are collected to treat wide range of aliments for humans in traditional medicine. Mustard seed is also a good source of protein. When compared with soybean it has higher protein efficiency ratio of 2.64. The seed of this crop is also rich in fibre, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. Contains alpha-linolenic acid, erucic acid, palmitic acid, tocopherols, tocotrienols, carotene, oryzanol and squalene. For treatment of degenerative diseases such as cancer, cataracts, cardiovascular disease (heart diseases), tocopherols are observed to be very useful. Also recognized for their antioxidant activity.
Modern Uses:
With various foods, particularly salad dressing, sausages, and cold meats mustard is maily use as a condiment. It is also use in pickles, sauces and in mayonnaises as an ingredient. In Europe, mustard is the most used mustard species and in North America. It is the only species in commercial production for the food processing and condiment industries. It has many cropping applications, including edible oilseeds, fast-growing salads, condiments, fodder, and green manure.
As a flavouring agent mustard essential oil is a better choice. Pure oil and essential oil may help reduce inflammation and pain. Is slow cancer cell growth, block microbial growth, and enhance hair and skin health. The plant can extract toxic heavy metals from soil.
Conventional Uses:
Among other ancient physicians and by Hippocrates its seeds were used in medicine . However, on the seed and oil most of the conventional uses were cantered. For the treatment of human ailments such as foot pain, rheumatisn and arthritis the seeds has been used. In medicine formely its plasters were used for their counterirritant properties in treatment of other ailments and chest colds.
Diseases attack on Mustard plant:
Aster Yellows disease caused by Aster Yellows Phytoplasma. Symptoms include purple tinge. Pods are replaced by flattened bladder like structures, oval or round or blue-green hollow and also malformed the flowers. They may produce green leaf like sterile structures. Infected plants may become woody and are often taller than the rest of the crop canopy.
Sclerotinia White Mould caused by Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Symptoms on stem and leaves are soft, water-soaked white to gray lesions. Plant parts above the affected area may turn pale green or yellow, wilt and die. Mature lesions will become bleached shred easily, resulting in premature ripening and lodging.
White mould may grow on rotting stems and sclerotia may be evident inside infected stem Downy Mildew due to Pathogen is Hyaloperonospora parasitica. Symptoms are Watch for a mealy growth on the underside of the leaf. These are corresponding to yellowing of the upper surface of the leaf.
Pathogen (Albugo candida) causes white rust. Symptoms include white pustules and “staghead” deformation of flowering stems and pod. Clubroot is due to pathogen (Plasmodiophora brassicae). When mustard is grown in known clubroot infested zones risk increase. When environmental conditions are unfavour clubroot disease development. Symptoms include yellowing and premature ripening. Check the roots for clubroot galls.