Abstract:
In Ethiopia, a considerable number and diversity o f plant species are known to
bear fixed or volatile types oils. They are found in a state o f either cultivation,
wild or semi-wild forms. Despite such a prominence o f diversity, however,
only very few crop species, which include the oilseed brassicas are being used
as a source o f edible oil in the country. The genus Brassica o f the family
Cruciferae (old taxonomic name Brassicaceae) includes some 37 species o f
great agricultural importance. They are valued for their edible roots, stems,
leaves, buds, flowers and seed oils. Cultivation o f B. carinata in Ethiopia is an
ancient practice dating back to the 4 -5 ,h millennia BC (Simmonds, 1979). B.
napus is a very recently introduced species probably not more than 30 years.
Several species are implicated within the general trivial name “mustard and
rapeseed”. These include: the Ethiopian/Abyssinian mustard (Brassica carinata
A. Braun), Indian/Brown/Oriental mustard (B. juncea L.), the turnip/bird rape
(B. campestris L.), the true rapeseed (B. napus L.), black mustard (B. nigra
Koch.) and white mustard (Sinapis alba) which is also known as yellow
mustard (B. hirta). The term “mustard” is derived from the use o f the seed as
condiment: the sweet “must” or “mustam ardens” for the purpose o f which B.
nigra, locally known as “senafich’, is popular. Excluding B. nigra and Sinapis
alba the other four species are all together termed, in the world literature, as the
“oilseed brassicas” and the Amharic name “gomenzer” generally equates the
latter although traditionally represents only B. carinata. In Ethiopia, only two
o f the oilseed brassicas, namely B. carinata and B. napus are being cultivated
for the production o f edible oil.
