RACHNA CANOLA (RBN-13016): A HIGH-YIELDING RAPESEED CULTIVAR ENRICHED WITH OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-9 FATTY ACIDS

Abstract

Rapeseed oil is the prime source of two essential fatty acids, Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid), and Omega-6 (linoleic acid). Oleic acid is a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that is also available in rapeseed oil in good ratio. To improve quality of edible oil and seed yield in rapeseed, comprehensive research was conducted at Oilseeds Research Institute Faisalabad (Pakistan) to evolve rapeseed cultivars requiring qualitative and quantitative characteristics with broader adaptability. The pedigree method of selection was used after hybridization (Legend x RBN-03052) during 2006-07, and homozygous progenies of 6016-B from F6 were bulked during 2012-13 for seed yield evaluation in different agroclimatic regions. Its performance was evaluated in the station and sixteen outstation seed yield trials from 2014 to 2020. Additive main effect and multiplication interaction analysis (AMMI) was performed to investigate the performance of promising line RBN-13016 along with checking Super Canola and both parents RBN-03052 (female parent) and Legend-1 (male parent) at sixteen ecological environments of Pakistan. Additive main effect and multiplication interaction analysis was done to estimate the responses of genotype, environment, and genotype x environment interactions based on seed yield. It has proved its worth in seed yield trials, and its performance was significantly better than the check variety and its parents. Rachna Canola (RBN-13016) was specifically bred for high Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and Omega-9 (Oleic acid), which were found to be significantly higher than the check variety as well as its parents. Other quantitative traits included medium maturing period, bold seed, long silique, lodging tolerance, Alternaria blight resistance, white rust resistance, high seed yield potential, good oil protein content, and broader adaptability. Based on high seed yield, high Omega-3 (9.14%) and Omega-9 (72.17%), the Punjab Seed Council (Pakistan) approved RBN-13016 as the variety “Rachna Canola” for general cultivation. Due to versatility in characteristics, this rapeseed cultivar can be effectively grown in different regions and countries with the same prevailing climatic conditions as in Pakistan.