recolza

Recolza, commonly known as rapeseed in many regions and canola in North America when referring to low-erucic-acid varieties, is an annual or short-lived perennial oilseed crop in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is cultivated for its seeds, from which vegetable oil is extracted and the residue used as animal feed.

The plant is an upright annual with a rosette of leaves, yellow four-petaled flowers, and slender seed pods. Seeds are small, hard, and oil-rich, typically containing about 40% oil and a high-protein meal after pressing.

The oil extracted from the seeds is used for cooking, margarine, and industrial applications including biodiesel; the press cake or meal remaining after extraction is a protein-rich animal feed. Modern cultivars with low erucic acid and low glucosinolates—often called canola or double-low rapeseed—are preferred for edible oil.

It grows in temperate climates, often sown in autumn as a winter annual in Europe and Canada, or as a spring crop elsewhere. It benefits from crop rotation. Major pests and diseases include flea beetles, blackleg, and sclerotinia; management includes resistant varieties and integrated pest strategies.

Recolza is one of the world's leading oilseed crops. Major producers include Canada, the European Union, China, and India. The crop is valued for oil yield, feed residue, and potential for biodiesel, with breeding emphasizing disease resistance and low erucic acid.