The Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association in 1979 registered the name “Canola” for a new type of oilseed selectively bred out of rapeseed. Canola has a much lower erucic acid and glucosinolates content than rapeseed, rendering it suitable for use in food. The name is derived from a combination of the words, “Canadian”, “oil” and “low acidic”.
In South Africa, canola is predominantly produced as a rainfed winter crop in the Western Cape – especially in the southern, Overberg and Swartland regions. It is also grown in small quantities in the summer rainfall areas, where it is produced under irrigation.
Although canola is a summer crop in temperate and cool parts of the world, it is primarily produced as a winter crop in South Africa. The Western Cape, in effect, accounts for almost two-thirds of Africa’s total canola seed production. Some trials have indicated that it can be grown under irrigation in the summer rainfall area, but at the moment there is no urgent need for summer rainfall producers to include canola in their crop cultivation programmes.
Canola pods are primarily used to make canola oil or blended with other edible oils. This oil has been approved by the Heart Foundation, because of its high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids that decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
Canola meal and oil cake, which are by-products of oil processing, are good sources of animal protein with canola grain containing 36% to 46% oil and 20% to 24% protein and the canola oilcake containing about 35% protein. In other countries, canola is also used to produce biofuel and as organic fertiliser.
Canola is an excellent rotation crop, with some producers reporting a 10% to 50% increase in follow up wheat yields. Why? Canola has a biofumigation effect that helps to combat certain wheat diseases, such as take-all, white ear, root knot nematodes and Phytophera.
It allows farmers to use grass herbicides and in effect allow them to clear the land of troublesome grass weeds before planting wheat again. Besides this, its deep strong taproot also helps to loosen the soil.
In South Africa, canola is predominantly produced as a rainfed winter crop in the Western Cape – especially in the southern, Overberg and Swartland regions. It is also grown in small quantities in the summer rainfall areas, where it is produced under irrigation.
Although canola is a summer crop in temperate and cool parts of the world, it is primarily produced as a winter crop in South Africa. The Western Cape, in effect, accounts for almost two-thirds of Africa’s total canola seed production. Some trials have indicated that it can be grown under irrigation in the summer rainfall area, but at the moment there is no urgent need for summer rainfall producers to include canola in their crop cultivation programmes.
Canola pods are primarily used to make canola oil or blended with other edible oils. This oil has been approved by the Heart Foundation, because of its high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids that decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
Canola meal and oil cake, which are by-products of oil processing, are good sources of animal protein with canola grain containing 36% to 46% oil and 20% to 24% protein and the canola oilcake containing about 35% protein. In other countries, canola is also used to produce biofuel and as organic fertiliser.
Canola is an excellent rotation crop, with some producers reporting a 10% to 50% increase in follow up wheat yields. Why? Canola has a biofumigation effect that helps to combat certain wheat diseases, such as take-all, white ear, root knot nematodes and Phytophera.
It allows farmers to use grass herbicides and in effect allow them to clear the land of troublesome grass weeds before planting wheat again. Besides this, its deep strong taproot also helps to loosen the soil.
