Genetic Improvement of Oil Quality Using Molecular Techniques in Brassica juncea

Abstract

Oil quality is a complex character determined by several inter-reliant indices, such as nutritional, cooking parameters, consumer preference, palatability, industrial suitability, physical appearance, and shelf life. Rapeseed-mustard oil has the lowest concentration (~7%) of saturated fatty acids (SAFAs) and a substantial amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The presence of the high amount of PUFAs does not mitigate the detrimental effects of the presence of high erucic acid (~22-52%) and low amount of oleic acid (~8-23%) in mustard oil. Whereas the excessive intake of erucic acid causes diseases like myocardial fibrosis in adults and lipidosis in children, the lower levels of oleic acid decrease oxidative stability, resulting in the reduction of the shelf life and thermostability of the oil. The mustard oil cake provides better amino acid composition than soybean meal to monogastric digestive tracts; however, it's use as animal feed is restricted due to the presence of high content of sulfur-rich glucosinolates which yield toxic and goitrogenic cleavage products. The α-tocopherol is biologically the most active form of vitamin E, and Brassica oil has low α-tocopherol. Therefore, enhancing oil quality by altering the composition of Brassica oil either by increasing the oleic acid and α-tocopherol or by decreasing the erucic acid and glucosinolate content is the important breeding objectives. The latest molecular discoveries decipher the biosynthesis pathways of the molecules and help in altering the compositions. This chapter reviews the molecular interventions employed in enhancing the mustard oil quality.