WHITE MUSTARD

White mustard is an annual cruciferous plant species with a taproot slightly shorter and less developed than that of oilseed rape. For human consumption, white mustard is grown for seed, which is then used for the production of mustard. However, this species has a much wider use in agriculture.

 

It is utilized as a support crop when planting peas or vetch. It is also a valued after crop species, positively influencing the phytosanitary conditions of the soil, as well as its structure, which allows for much higher yields in the following crops, especially tubers. As an after crop, it can bring significant amounts of organic matter into the soil. The recently bred varieties possess anti-nematode qualities significantly reducing nematode population in the soil.

 

Mustard grows best on sandy, clay soils, rich in calcium, of a neutral or near-neutral reaction. Mustard plants withstand frosts of -6ºC in early development, and up to -2°C in full bloom.