John Holland says it’s simple: “You grow mustard and you deliver canola.” But you don’t grow condiment mustard if you want to deliver canola. That’s different again.

Canola quality mustard (Brassica juncea) and its reputation as a better performer than ordinary canola (Brassica napus) in tough conditions have been talked about – and researched – for some years now.

But this winter cropping season growers will be able to inspect large demonstration blocks of Brassica juncea lines nearing commercial release.

Release will be the pay-off from seven years of research by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI).

Building on previous research by CSIRO, the project was supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and was carried out in collaboration with Wayne Burton and Phil Salisbury of the Victorian DPI.

Tamworth agronomist John Holland told the recent Grains Research Update for Advisers in Dubbo NSWDPI  trials in recent drought years have proven mustard’s agronomic advantages over canola in north-west NSW.

The GRDC organises the annual round of Research Updates with the support of the NSW and Queensland DPIs, the CSIRO and universities.

“Brassica juncea has better drought and heat tolerance than canola, better shattering tolerance – eliminating the need to windrow – very good resistance to blackleg and more vigorous early growth, which provides better weed competition,” Mr Holland said. 

“Mustard often doubles the yield and dry matter production of canola, but its superiority is limited to low yield situations. Where normal canola is likely to yield more than 1.5 tonnes to the hectare, the situation reverses and normal canola is the better bet.

“Last year we also found indications that Brassica juncea could be  more frost tolerant than canola, as a severe frost at Coonamble in mid-September hit canola hard, slashing its yield to 150 kilograms a hectare, while the best mustard varieties still yielded 700 to 900 kilograms a hectare.

“While that particular result could have been caused by frost interaction with drought, visiting Canadian canola breeder Van Ripley has reported seeing similar results in his country.”  

Mr Holland said the Brassica juncea line JR049 had the best agronomic performance in the NSWDPI trials, being a short early maturing plant, but its oleic acid levels were a shade too low.

The line JR046 had delivered canola quality grain and could be seen at the demonstration sites this year, along with other lines that might have potential for subsequent commercial release. 

“Condiment mustard is completely different from the canola quality type, and there is a small domestic market for it, largely satisfied by the Yandilla group at Young,” Mr Holland said.

“But there has to be export opportunities in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Fiji, because Canada exports more than 100,000 tonnes of condiment mustard a year.”