The need for sustainable agricultural-production systems has generated demand for effective, nonsynthetic, alternative weed-control strategies. For some vegetable crops there are few herbicide options available, and there is little prospect of new herbicides being registered for vegetable crops. Brassicaceae seed meal, a residue product of the seed oil extraction process, can provide a resource for supplemental nutrients, disease control, and weed suppression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different Brassicaceae seed meals and application rates on the emergence of wild oat, Italian ryegrass, prickly lettuce, and redroot pigweed, which are some of the major weeds in vegetable production systems. White mustard seed, Indian mustard seed, and rapeseed meals were used with (intact) or without a functional myrosinase enzyme (denatured). Intact white mustard seed meals applied at a rate of 2000 kg ha−1 significantly reduced weed seedling emergence and weed dry biomass compared with intact rapeseed-meal–amended treatments. Indian mustard showed significantly better herbicidal efficacy on the grassy weeds than did white mustard, which was most effective in controlling broadleaf weeds. In all instances, a 1000 kg ha−1 application rate of either Indian mustard or white mustard exhibited greater herbicidal effect than did the 2000 kg ha−1 application rate of rapeseed meal. These results demonstrate that all glucosinolates are not equal in herbicidal effects. The herbicidal effects of the mustard seed meal could offer vegetable growers a new option for weed control, particularly in organic production systems. In practice, it would seem feasible to treat soils with a blend of Indian mustard and white mustard seed meals so that both grass and broadleaf weeds could be effectively controlled.

Effect of graded levels of high-glucosinolate mustard (Brassica juncea) meal as substitute of soya-bean meal (SBM) in broiler rabbit diets was studied. Forty weaning rabbits of Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant breed were randomly allocated to one of four experimental diets containing mustard meal (MM) 0, 80, 160 and 245 g/kg. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. MM had 54.8 mg total glucosinolates (TGLSs) per g dry matter (DM). Diets had TGLS 3.8, 8.4 and 11.98 mg/g DM in 80, 160 and 245 g MM diets, respectively. MM-incorporated diets had higher digestible and linearly (P < 0.01) higher metabolisable energy (ME) content. However, the effect on total tract apparent digestibility of DM, and crude protein was quadratic. Average daily gain (ADG) reduced (P < 0.05) linearly with increasing MM levels in diet, still 80 and 160 g MM diets had similar ADG compared to that of SBM diet. Caecum weight reduced linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing MM levels in diet. The pH of caecal content ranged between 5.85 and 6.19, total N between 1.19 and 1.48 (g per 100 g) and total volatile fatty acids between 4.7 and 5.8 mmol per 100 g, and they were not statistically different. NH3-N ranged between 31.2 and 39.0 mg per 100 ml, and reduced linearly (P < 0.05) while trichloroacetic acid-precipitable nitrogen increased linearly (P < 0.01, ranged between 114 and 247 mg per 100 ml) with increasing MM levels in diet. Blood haemoglobin, packed cell volume and lymphocytes were higher (quadratic effects, P < 0.05) on 245 MM diet, whereas white blood cell count reduced linearly (P < 0.01). Serum aspartate aminotransferase increased linearly (P < 0.01) while alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity, protein, erythrocytes sedimentation rate and red blood cell counts were not affected by MM. Serum Cu, Na and K content increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing MM levels. Liver Cu concentration showed quadratic (P < 0.05) increase. Rabbits tolerated 8.4 mg TGLS per g diet (160 g MM per kg) during active growth without any apparent effect on health and growth. It is concluded that MM can replace up to 66% SBM protein in rabbit feeding, whereas complete replacement of SBM with MM reduced feed intake and ADG by 23% and 13%, respectively. Further studies are required to confirm these inclusion levels and glucosinolate tolerance of rabbits.

Brassicaceae seed meals produced through the oil extraction process release biologically active glucosinolate secondary products and may be useful as a part of biological weed control systems. Before meal can be used most efficiently, recommendations for suitable planting dates that maximize weed control but reduce crop injury must be determined. Our objectives were to determine the impact of 1 and 3% (w/w) meal applications of Brassica napus L. (canola), Brassica juncea L. (oriental mustard) and Sinapis alba L. (yellow mustard) on crop emergence and weed biomass in a growth chamber and field study. Results from the growth chamber experiment indicated that lettuce emergence was reduced by at least 75% when planted into 3% S. alba-amended soil earlier than 5 weeks after meal application. After 5 weeks, emergence was not different among treatments. Crop emergence was not reduced by any meal treatment as compared to the no-meal treatment in year 1 of the field study. In year 2, crop emergence in each 1.2-m row was inhibited by all meal treatments and ranged from 16 plants in the 3% B. juncea treatment to 81 plants in the no-meal treatment. The difference between emergence results in year 1 and year 2 is likely due to differing climatic conditions early in the season prior to irrigation, and the method of irrigation used. Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) biomass was 72–93% lower in 1% B. juncea and 3% treatments relative to the no-meal control in the first weed harvest of year 1. These same treatments had 87–99% less common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) biomass. By the second weed harvest, redroot pigweed biomass in meal treatments (0.02–1.6 g m−2) was not different from that in the no-meal treatment (0.97 g m−2). Redroot pigweed biomass in 3% B. juncea plots was reduced by 74% relative to the no-meal treatment in the first harvest of year 2. This treatment also reduced common chickweed [Stellaria media (L.) Vill.] biomass by 99% relative to the 1% meal treatments. While pigweed biomass was reduced by 3% B. juncea in the early part of the season, by the second harvest this same treatment had the greatest pigweed biomass. Despite significant variability between years, 3% B. juncea did provide early season weed control in both years. Repeated meal applications, however, may be necessary to control late season weeds. Inhibition of crop emergence appears to be highly dependent on the amount and distribution of water and needs to be further studied in field settings.