Technology | Winter 2010
Canola genome explained.
By Angela Lovell
Genome is the term used to describe the entire package of genetic information present within the cells of any species of living organism.
The genome is built from DNA that carries, for example, the genetic information necessary for a canola seed to grow, flower, mature and produce new seed. That genetic information is organized into building blocks arranged in various combinations known as genes that make every species (indeed, every plant) unique and distinct.
A gene may have, on average, around 10,000 of those building blocks. And a plant like Brassica napus (Argentine canola) probably has about 60,000 genes.
Canola is a member of the Brassica genus. There are three Brassica genomes:
A - Brassica rapa, also known as Polish canola. This group includes bok choy and Chinese cabbage. It has a short growing season and produces a crop in approximately 80 days.
B - Brassica nigra, also known as black mustard. It is generally considered a weed in North America but is used as a condiment in India.
C - Brassica oleracea, often referred to as the cabbage family, includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Over time A and C crossed and combined to form an AC combination known as Brassica napus. Now the main canola species grown on 95 per cent of existing canola acreage. This is the genome that Bayer CropScience has sequenced.
