Oilseed Production Research Articles

Determinants of Food Security in Rural Areas of Pakistan

Abstract: Out of 120 districts of Pakistan (for rural areas) only 40 are food secure while 80 (67 percent) are food insecure. Within these food insecure districts, 38 (46 percent) are extremely food insecure. The matter of food security in rural areas is of immense nature and needs to be probed. A number of factors are responsible for the situation. The current paper examines the determinants of three aspects of food security in rural areas of Pakistan, i.e. food availability, accessibility and absorption. For the purpose a series of models is applied on district level data of rural areas of Pakistan. The production of wheat, rice, maize, pulses, oilseeds, poultry meat and fish at the district level is found to affect food availability positively. All the district except of Sindh are more probable to be food insecure in availability. In the food accessibility electrification and adult literacy emerged as the factors having negative effect. Child immunization, safe drinking water and number of hospitals have shown positive effect on food absorption.

Biofuels and their by-products: Global economic and environmental implications

Abstract Recently a number of papers have used general equilibrium models to study the economy-wide and environmental consequences of the first generation of biofuels (FGB). In this paper, we argue that nearly all of these studies have overstated the impacts of FGB on global agricultural and land markets due to the fact that they have ignored the role of biofuel by-products. Feed by-products of FGB, such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and oilseed meals (VOBP), are used in the livestock industry as protein and energy sources. Their presence mitigates the price impacts of biofuel production. More importantly, they reduce the demand for cropland and moderate the indirect land use consequences of FGB. This paper explicitly introduces DDGS and VOBP into a global computational general equilibrium (CGE) model, developed at the Center for Global Trade Analysis at Purdue University, to examine the economic and environmental impacts of regional and international mandate policies designed to stimulate bioenergy production and use. We show that models with and without by-products reveal different portraits of the economic impacts of the US and EU biofuel mandates for the world economy in 2015. While both models demonstrate significant changes in the agricultural production pattern across the world, the model with by-products shows smaller changes in the production of cereal grains and larger changes for oilseeds products in the US and EU, and the reverse for Brazil. Models that omit by-products are found to overstate cropland conversion from US and EU mandates by about 27%.

Comparing regional risks in producing turnip rape and oilseed rape – Today in light of long-term datasets

Finland is the only country in which summer turnip rape (Brassica rapa L.) is predominant over oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) as an oil crop. However, farmer interest in growing oilseed rape has increased significantly over recent years. Accordingly, this study aims to compare the regional risks of producing turnip rape and oilseed rape in order to avoid setbacks in Finnish vegetable oil production. This study is especially topical because the cultivated area of Brassica oil crops is projected to double in the near future and recent years have particularly favoured oilseed rape production and farmers have been encouraged to replace turnip rape with oilseed rape. Using information gained through this risk assessment, changes in oil crop production can be managed in a more economically sustainable way. In this study we used long-term datasets from MTT Agrifood Research Finland (MTT Official Variety Trials for 1976–2005) and the Finnish Meteorological Institute (regional datasets for temperature accumulation and occurrence of frosts at late seed ripening for 1971–2000). According to the results of this risk assessment, sustainable and economically feasible oil crop production in Finland must currently be based primarily on turnip rape. Oilseed rape is, however, likely to become increasingly important, but in the most favourable fields of the southernmost production regions. However, it was evident that comparison of yield values is very sensitive to variety differences for the most critical yield parameters. Hence, when introducing new oilseed rape varieties it is particularly important that they always have equal or better seed yield and seed chlorophyll content than the recently introduced, markedly improved oilseed rape varieties. This will reduce economic risks for farmers.

Low linolenic soybeans and beyond

AbstractLow linolenic soybean oil is the first in a series of modified oilseed products to be introduced to meet food company and consumer needs. Consumer packaged goods and foodservice companies are currently using this oil to successfully replace partially hydrogenated soybean oil, resulting in the reduction of trans fatty acids from the food supply. In addition to meeting consumer demand for healthier foods, many food processors have chosen low linolenic soybean oil based on taste, performance and cost benefits. Seed companies continue to utilize traditional breeding, marker assisted breeding and biotechnology approaches to modify oilseeds that produce oils with health and nutrition benefits. Additional modified oilseeds are at various stages of development. Soybeans with increased levels of stearic acid are being developed as an alternative to partially hydrogenated fats and high saturate fats required to provide solids and structure to food. High stability fry oils with increased levels of oleic acid, reduced levels of linolenic acid as well as a version with lower saturated fat are being developed. Soybeans are also being modified to offer more sustainable sources of omega‐3s including stearidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid which will result in more efficacious sources of omega‐3s compared to alpha‐linolenic acid‐containing vegetable oil and improved functionality/stability compared to fish and algal oils.

Adaptation of alternative pulse and oilseed crops to the semiarid Canadian Prairie: Seed yield and water use efficiency

Diversification and intensification of the cropping systems in the traditional wheat-fallow area of the semiarid Canadian prairie is necessary to improve sustainability. Selection of alternate crops to include in cropping systems requires information on production risks with different climate regimes. To understand water use/yield relationships of alternate crops, three pulse crops (leguminous grain crops) [chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)], three oilseed crops [canola (Brassica napus L. and B. rapa L.) and mustard (B. juncea L.)], and one cereal crop [wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)] were studied under varying water regimes: during 1996–1998 under well-watered, rainfed, imposed drought conditions, and in 2001 under rainfed conditions. Generally, the relative ranking between crops for water use was maintained across water regimes, such that the crops separated into three general groups of water users (high: wheat, B. napus, mustard; medium: chickpea, B. rapa, lentil; low: pea) with pea using an average of 34 mm and 13 mm less water than high- and medium-water-using crop groups, respectively. The exceptions included desi chickpea, which tended to use less water and B. rapa, which tended to use more water relative to the other crops as water use decreased. Generally, pea and wheat produced the most grain and biomass, had the highest water use efficiency, and had moderately high to high harvest indices. Wheat and pea are well adapted to variable rainfall amounts inherent in semiarid climates. Desi chickpea and lentil produce good grain yields under dry conditions, and grain yields relative to those of other crops can be increased by some drought stress, especially mid- to late-season stress. Therefore, because of their relatively good performance under water-stressed conditions, they are also well adapted to semiarid climates. Conversely, the Brassica oilseeds yielded relatively poorly compared with wheat and pulse crops under severe water-stressed conditions, so they are not as well adapted to the semiarid climate. In 2001, grain yield of wheat and pulses seeded on stubble was ≥30% of the yield on fallow, whereas stubble-seeded Brassica oilseeds yielded only about 10% of that on fallow. Compared with stubble seeding, production of Brassica oilseeds on fallow will decrease the risk of very low yields under drought. We found little indication that mustard was more drought tolerant than B. napus. Key words: Yield, water use efficiency, oilseeds, pulse, semiarid prairie

Marker-Assisted Selection for Low Linolenic Acid Content in Soybean

ABSTRACT Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is a major crop in the world and in the United States. In 2006, soybeans represented 57% of the world oilseed production. Because of oxidation problems upon heating and storage of the oil, and because of health risks related to the production of trans-fatty acids during oil hydrogenation, reducing linolenic acid content in soybean oil below 2% is now an important goal in soybean breeding programs. The current methods for evaluation of the fatty acid content in the oil (fat extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the fatty acids) are time consuming and expensive. Our objective was to develop molecular markers that would allow the selection for low linolenic acid lines without the need for analysis of the fatty acid content of the oil. Populations were developed by crossing a low linolenic parent with high-yielding adapted South Dakota lines. We developed a molecular marker that was linked to the low linolenic acid trait in our populations and permitted effective selection for low linolenic acid lines. In the three populations developed for the study, a single backcross proved to be the most effective way to combine the low linolenic acid trait of the donor parent with the high-yielding genes of the recurrent parent.

Towards salinity tolerance in Brassica: an overview

Among the various abiotic stresses limiting the crop productivity, salinity stress is a major problem, which needs to be addressed and answered urgently. Since members of Brassicaceae are important contributor to total oilseed production, there is an immediate need being felt to raise Brassica plants which would be more suitable for saline and dry lands in years to come. One of the suggested way to develop salinity tolerant Brassica plants is to make use of the broad gene pool available within the family. Efforts of breeders have been successful in such endeavors to a large extent and several salinity tolerant Brassica genotypes have been developed within India and elsewhere. On the other hand, transgenic technology will undoubtedly continue to aid the search for the cellular mechanisms that confer tolerance, but the complexity of the trait is likely to mean that the road to engineer such tolerance into sensitive species will not be easy. However, with increasing number of reports available for suitable genetic transformation for various Brassica genotypes, there is a hope that salinity tolerance can be improved in this important crop plant. In this direction, the complete genome sequence of related wild plants such as Arabidopsis or crop plants such as rice can also serve as a platform for identification of "candidate genes". Recently, complete genome sequencing of the Brassica genomes has also been initiated with the view that availability of such useful information can pave way towards raising Brassica with improved tolerance towards these stresses. In the present paper, we discuss the success obtained so far; in raising brassica genotypes with improved salinity tolerance employing both plant breeding and/or genetic engineering tools.

Preface: 'Synthetics for Wheat Improvement' - Proceedings of the 1st Synthetic Wheat Symposium, September 2006.

Wheat was one of the first domesticated food crops and for over 10 000 years has been the basic staple food for most of the world. It is the most widely grown cereal crop in the world. The worldwide production of wheat in 1995–96 was 541 Mt grown in 219 Mha compared to 618 Mt produced in 2005–06 from 216 Mha. Mirroring the world trend is Australia where wheat constitutes more than 50% of the total grains and oilseeds production annually. The area sown to wheat doubled within the last 4 decades from 7 251 000 ha in 1965 to 13 399 000 ha in 2005 (ABARE, ‘Australian Commodity Statistics 2006’), with substantial gains in yield in the early years. However, while the area sown to wheat increased over the past 10 years, there has been no concomitant increase in yield during this period. Yields are oscillating and may be stagnating owing to abiotic and biotic stresses that impact on production (Fig. 1). Globally, in the last 5 years, world wheat consumption continues to outpace production. In 2002–03, world wheat production was 566 Mt against 600 Mt of consumption. In 2003–04, production was 556 Mt against 588 Mt of consumption. The estimated production and consumption for 2006–07 is 587 and 607 Mt respectively (ABARE, ‘Australian Commodity Statistics 2006’). The declining trend in production is occurring against a backdrop of increasing population, decreasing land availability, decreasing irrigation water, and increasing climatic fluctuations such as drought. In the last decade, many parts of Australia have suffered ongoing drought and heat the most severe being in 2002–03 when the volume of production decreased by 58% from 2001–02 production figure of 24 299 kt with estimated economic loss of $2 billion (ABARE, ‘Australian Commodity Statistics 2006’). In 2006, it was estimated that over 60% of the Australian cropping area was lost to drought. The challenge for wheat breeders is to breed cultivars with genetic plasticity for

Testing for market power in the Australian grains and oilseeds industries

AbstractWe formally assess competitive buying and selling behavior in the Australian grains and oilseeds industries using a more realistic empirical model and a less aggregated data set than previously available. We specify a duality model of profit maximization that allows for imperfect competition in both input and output markets and for variable‐proportions technologies. Aggregate input‐output data are used to define the structure of the relevant industries, and time series data are then used to implement the model for 13 grains and oilseeds products handled by seven groups of agents. The model is estimated in a Bayesian econometrics framework. We find evidence of flour and cereal food product manufacturers exerting market power when purchasing wheat, barley, oats and triticale; beer and malt manufacturers exerting market power when purchasing wheat and barley; and other food product manufacturers exerting market power when purchasing wheat, barley, oats and triticale. [EconLit citations: C11, L66, Q11]. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 23: 349–376, 2007.

Effect of precrop on winter wheat yield

The Earth's population is rising, and this situation puts high demands on agricultural production. Yield and quality should be increased. A growing number of agricultural products is used both for food and for industrial purposes, such as biofuel production. Most of Central European countries have decided to produce biodiesel from oilseed rape. The Croatian agricultural production has a long tradition. It is, side by side with tourism, the basis for future developments. One third of the population is presently associated with agricultural production. There are some problems in relation with agriculture such as small farms, low efficiency and unfavourable climate. Lower efficiency compared to the efficiency level of developed countries increases the productinal costs and producers' debts. The organization of agriculture as well as its economical, energetical and environmental aspects present an issue due to transitional processes, free market conditions and EU recommendations, which should be taken into consideration. All the above mentioned means that steps towards higher efficiency should be taken in order to be competitive (Kanisek et al., 2001). The EU imports 65% of energy, which is the upper limit. The EU signed the Kyoto Protocol according to which some recommendations were made concerning the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, and biogas, which are obtained from biomass. Based on the above mentioned recommendations three biodiesel plants have already been built in Croatia, and some other plants have been considered. The production of oleiferous plants is lower than the productional capacity of the plants. The disparity has to be resolved by favourable steps, such as higher subventions. Another initative for oilseed rape production could be the improvement of soil quality. This means a higher amount of nitrogen after the vegetation period of oilseed rape, high activity of microorganisms as well as sufficient quality related with with harvest residues on soil (Lauten, 1988). The above mentioned assumptions could positively affect the productional input cost, and on the other side, the increse of the yield in crop rotation. This all can bring about a more eager interest in the production of oilseed rape. Efficient plant nutrition should be a part of proper technology (Szalay et al., 2006). The research presented in this paper compares the yield of wheat sown after oilseed rape and barley, respectively. The results show that after the growth of oilseed rape less nitrogen should be brought into the soil, which decreases the productional cost of the following cultivar.

Colza et apports azotés : enjeux d’une compétitivité durable et voies de recherche

Nitrogen is a key factor in the sustainable competitiveness of oilseed rape crop and production systems, at the crossroads of economic and environmental stakes. The different research areas to meet these issues are examined, as well as their complementarities.

Cardinal temperatures for germination and early growth of two Lesquerella species

Lesquerella ( Lesquerella fendleri) is a potential alternative crop that is being studied for commercial oilseed production. Understanding the minimum temperatures for germination and seedling growth is important for determining potential areas for lesquerella production. The objectives of this study were to determine the cardinal temperatures for germination and seedling growth, and to screen ecotypes for germination and growth characteristics. A temperature gradient table arrangement was used to observe seed germination over a range of temperatures, and time to germination and shoot appearance. Times to 5 mm root length and 5 mm shoot length were also measured to assess cardinal temperatures for seedling survival and growth. Two different species were examined, L. fendleri and a species we refer to as ‘ L. pallida aff.’ because it differed from typical L. pallida plants in chromosome number and in oil quality. We concluded that both germination and growth of L. pallida aff. occurred fastest at 22 °C, whereas L. fendleri germinated earlier at 18 °C, but grew faster at 22 °C. L. pallida aff. also had lower germination than L. fendleri over the range studied. Non-dormant seeds of improved lines of L. fendleri had better performance at temperatures above 22 °C than did unimproved accessions. Lines of L. fendleri selected for high oil content and salt tolerance had similar temperature requirements for germination except for improved line WCL-LO3, the current line being used in production. This line had optimal temperatures 6 °C higher for germination and growth than the other improved lines. Accessions of L. fendleri collected from elevations above 2000 m performed better at warmer temperatures, whereas those collected from elevations below 2000 m tended to perform better at cooler temperatures. Dormant seeds of L. fendleri germinated more quickly at low temperatures and had lower base (<3 °C) and optimal (22 °C) temperatures than non-dormant seeds (>7 °C and 28 °C, respectively). We speculate that this partial dormancy trait allows populations of L. fendleri to exploit a wider range of temperature conditions in the wild in order to thrive in extreme environments.

Fats, Oils, and Oilseeds Analysis and Production

Fats, Oils, and Oilseeds Analysis and Production

Influence of seasonal variations on yield and yield components of sunflower

Wide adaptability of sunflower and wide range of climatic conditions existing in Pakistan make it possible to have two crops of sunflower in a year, i.e., in spring and fall. Field experiments, one in spring and another in fall were conducted at the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, to evaluate the influence of seasonal variations on yield and yield components of sunflower. Five sunflower hybrids were planted in a randomized complete block design in three replications. Two inner rows were harvested for measurements of yield and yield components. It was observed that head size of spring crop was larger than fall crop. Contrary to head size, 1000-seed weight of the fall crop was larger than that of the spring crop. However, final yield of the spring crop was greater than that of the fall crop. It led to the conclusion that having spring crop is the best option, while fall crop could be supplementary one, to increase the production of oilseeds.

Un avenir en filière

At the end of the seventies, according to a French specific legal framework, an interbranch organisation (ONIDOL) was created to gather producers, storers and crushers involved in oilseeds production and transformation. The first concern was to convert the rapeseed production with new varieties, diversify the outlets, and increase the uses for both food and feed. Therefore several collective initiatives have been carried out: research and development programmes, common quality rules, settlement of futures markets, development of non food uses and biodiesel. Today, ONIDOL has to consider whether the new Common Agricultural Policy fits in with such collective actions to provide added value in oilseed integrated chain. The target concerns in particular the new outlets, the management of safety, security and traceability rules of production fluxes and their harmonisation, the management of environmental constraints.

Oléagineux et structures d’exploitations agricoles dans les PECO

The agriculture of the CEEC’s is characterized by a strong diversity in the size of the farms. Oilseed crops are grown mainly by the big farms (80% in Poland) which take their origin in State farms. New big farms are under establishement by leasing of land from small owners (in Romania). The Common Agricultural Policy in the new member CEEC’s will result in: little effect on restructuring of small farms, putting oilseeds aside from that sector, quick effect on the improvement of the productivity of oilseeds in the big farms and probably little influence on oilseed acreage expansion.

Measuring regional competitiveness in oilseeds production and processing in Nigeria: a spatial equilibrium modelling approach

AbstractThe four main resource regions of Nigeria, namely, the East, Middle‐belt, West and North, differ in their endowments in the production and processing of oilseeds. The Federal Government has allocated resources to the oilseeds sub‐sector across the regions without apparent rational basis. Consequently, huge imports of oilseed products, high and unaffordable oilseed product prices, and the establishment of new oil mills in the face of frequent shutdowns and chronic under‐utilisation of existing mills, still characterise the sector. In this paper, a spatial equilibrium model of the Nigerian oilseeds economy is used to determine the optimal location and number of mills across the regions, and to establish regional competitiveness in aid of the planning and development of the oilseeds sub‐sector. In the model, production (farming and milling) activities are tied to arable land and milling capacity constraints. The shadow prices of the arable land and milling capacities are used as a measure of competitiveness. Results indicate that, because of its central location, the Middle‐belt is the most competitive in oilseeds production at a shadow value of N 18,400 per hectare of cultivated land, followed by the North, West and East regions. However, the East is the most competitive in oilseeds milling, followed by the West, due to their close proximity to ports of export. These results suggest that transport cost is the main determinant of the viability of oilseeds production and milling in Nigeria.

Measuring regional competitiveness in oilseeds production and processing in Nigeria: a spatial equilibrium modelling approach

Measuring regional competitiveness in oilseeds production and processing in Nigeria: a spatial equilibrium modelling approach

Sustainable yield of rainy-season oilseed crops in Satpura plateau zone of Madhya Pradesh

New agricultural technology increased and K @ 20, 26.2 and 16.66 kgha; 30, 13.1 the production of oilseeds by 1.5-3.0 times and 8.3 kgha; 20, 8.73 and 0 kglha; 20, in recent years. The higher productivity can 26.2 and 16.16 kgha; and 40, 17.46 and 0 be achieved with soil and water conserva- kgha respectively were applied for soybean, tion, use of input-responsive varieties, mod- sesame, niger, groundnut and castor. In soy- erate dose of fertilizer and pest control. All bean and groundnut, fertilizer was dressed such practices guarantee sustained produc- basal whereas in sesame and niger P and K tivity over a wide range of environments in were applied basal and nitrogen was given different yeas at the same location. in 2 splits- two-thirds at sowing and one- A field experiment was conducted during third at 30 days after sowing in standing the rainy seasons of 1988-90 on farmers crog. In castor half dose of N was applied fields to study sustainable yield of oilseed basal, one-fourth N nt 30 days and the re- crops in soil ranging from low to medium in maining at 60 days. Inter-culture operations fertility. The soil texture vaied from sandy and insect-control measures were under- clay to loamy clay and clayey. The available taken as per the crop need. The control in- N was 200-240, P 6-12.5 and K 480-620 cluded desi varieties with less fertilizer dose kgha, with pH 7.1-7.6. Oilseed crops, viz. and no insect-control measures. Soybean, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], sesame groundnut, and sesame crops were harvested (Sesamum indicum L.), niger [Guizotia at maturity in October; nigher in November; abyssinica (L.f.) Cass.], groundnut (Arachis and castor in December. Yield data were hypogaea L.) and castor (Ricinus communis statistically analysed (Singh et al., 1990) for L.), were grown rainfed during the rainy computation of sustainable-yield index. season. Improved seeds of soybean varieties A total of 846, 606 and 1,022 mm rains JS 72-44 and JS 75-46, sesame N 32 were recorded in 65,41 and 55 days respec- and JT 7, niger Ootacmund and IGP tively during 1988, 1989 and 1990. The 76, groundnut JL 24 and Gangapuri, minimum yield was achieved in niger and castor Aruna and 48-1 were tested. Seeds the maximum in soybean compared with of all crops after inoculation (soybean and sesame (Table 1). Yields recorded in treat- groundnut) and after treatment with fungi- ments were 2-3 times higher with high sus- cide were sown in June at the onset of mon- tainable yield index than the control. The soon except niger which was sown in second control yield showed minimum of 1.61 qlha fortnight of July. Full fertilizer doses of N; P in niger and maximum of 16.15 qlha in soy-

Crop diversification with oilseed crops for-maximizing productivity, profitability and resource conservation

Crop diversification is intended to give a wider choice in the production of a variety of crops in a given area so as to expand production related activities on various crops and also to lessen risk. The crop shift (diversification) also takes place due to governmental policies and thrust on some crops over a stipulated time, e.g. establishment of the Technology Mission on Oilseeds to give thrust on oilseeds production as a national need for the country's re- quirement for less dependency on imports. Crop diversification and also the growing of large number of crops are practiced in rainfed lands to reduce the risk factor of crop failures due to drought or fewer rains. Market infrastruc- ture development and certain other price related supports also induce crop shift. Inclusion of trees in the farming system results in moisture and nutrient conservation in semi-arid tropics. The article attempts a critical review on crop diversification in rainfed regions of the country and also discusses several facets of crop diversification that include; diversification of rice-wheat system with oilseeds; diversification of oilseeds through intercropping, promis- ing crop sequences involving oilseeds in different states. Potential areas are suggested for various oilseed crops in different parts of the country. Further, the role of trees as a component of crop diversification for maximizing pro- ductivity, profitability leading to resource conservation is highlighted.