Quick stats
| Family | Brassicaceae |
|---|---|
| Typical harvest | 2.6 t/ha |
| Varieties | 3 |
| Pests & diseases | 5 |
| Seasons | 0 |
Crop profile
| Growth habit | annual |
|---|---|
| Days to harvest | 110 |
| Main uses | Oilseed for edible oil and high-protein meal; sometimes used as forage or green manure. |
| Pollination | insect |
| Origin / where it grows | Cool-season oilseed widely grown in temperate and high-altitude subtropical regions. |
Weather, soil & spacing
| Best temperature | 12–22 °C |
|---|---|
| Rainfall | 450–750 mm/yr |
| Altitude | 800–2600 m |
| Best pH | 6–7.5 |
| Soil type | Deep, well-drained loams or clay loams with good water-holding capacity and moderate fertility. |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
| Plant spacing | 10 cm |
| Planting depth | 2 cm |
| Seed rate | 3 kg/ha |
| Nursery days | — |
Simple notes for farmers
About the crop: This crop is annual. You plant, grow and harvest it in one main season, then plant again. You can normally start harvesting about 110 days after planting, depending on care and variety.
Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for oilseed for edible oil and high-protein meal; sometimes used as forage or green manure..
Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by insect. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.
Where it grows: Cool-season oilseed widely grown in temperate and high-altitude subtropical regions. It is grouped under: Oil & Industrial.
Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 12 and 22 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 450 to 750 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 2600 metres above sea level.
Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7.5. It does well in deep, well-drained loams or clay loams with good water-holding capacity and moderate fertility.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.
Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 30 centimetres apart, and leave about 10 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.
Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 2 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.
Seed or planting material: Use around 3 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.
Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)
Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)
| # | Stage | DAP | Product | Rate | Targets (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basal at planting | 0 | NPK 17-17-17 | 120 kg/ha | N: 20, P₂O₅: 20, K₂O: 20 | Drill or band apply slightly below and to the side of the seed row to avoid seed burn. |
| 2 | Early topdress | 25 | CAN 26% N | 100 kg/ha | N: 26, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0 | Broadcast or band along rows when plants are at 4–6 leaf stage on moist soil. |
| 3 | Pre-flowering K boost | 45 | MOP (KCl) | 60 kg/ha | N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 36 | Apply where soils are low in K or yield targets are high; time before bud initiation. |
Nutrient requirements
| Nutrient | Stage | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Basal | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Basal | 30 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Basal | 30 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress_early | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Topdress_early | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Topdress_early | 20 | kg/ha |
| N | Pre_flowering | 20 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Pre_flowering | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Pre_flowering | 20 | kg/ha |
Field images (picha shambani)
| Name | Country | Maturity | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-altitude canola hybrid | KE | 105 | High oil content and good standability; suited to cool highland environments. |
| Early-maturing rapeseed type | TZ | 95 | Earlier flowering and harvest for shorter rainy seasons. |
| Local rapeseed selection | UG | 110 | Adapted to mid- and high-altitude smallholder systems, used for oil and feed. |
| Stage | Product | Rate (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basal | NPK 17-17-17 | 120 | Apply at seeding in band or drill; adjust downwards on fertile soils. |
| Early vegetative | CAN 26% N | 100 | At 4–6 leaf stage when crop is well established. |
| Pre-flowering | MOP (KCl) | 60 | Apply in high-potential or K-deficient fields before flowering. |
| Name | Type | Symptoms | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flea beetles / leaf-feeding beetles | pest | Sow into warm, moist soils for rapid emergence, maintain good seedbed preparation; treat seed where pressure is high. | |
| Aphids | pest | Encourage natural enemies, monitor thresholds, avoid unnecessary insecticides that harm beneficials. | |
| Diamondback moth / caterpillars | pest | Scout flowering and podding crops, conserve natural enemies, rotate crops and manage volunteers. | |
| Blackleg (phoma) | disease | Use resistant varieties, rotate with non-brassica crops, manage infected residues. | |
| Sclerotinia stem rot (white mould) | disease | Avoid very dense canopies, rotate with non-hosts and manage broadleaf weeds; consider fungicide where risk is high. |
| System | Typical | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-input rainfed (grain) | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 | Minimal fertilizer, basic weed control, adapted open-pollinated varieties in smallholder conditions. |
| Managed rainfed (grain) | 2.5 | 1.5 | 3 | Improved varieties/hybrids, balanced fertilization and good weed and pest management. |
| Intensive high-input (grain) | 4 | 3 | 5 | High-yielding hybrids under cool, moist conditions with optimal fertility and crop protection. |
| Country | Region | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Central and Rift Valley highlands with cool seasons | |
| TZ | Southern highlands and northern cool highlands | |
| UG | Highland and cool mid-altitude belts with reliable rainfall |