Taxon: Brassica napus L.

Summary

Genus:

Brassica

Family:

Brassicaceae (alt. Cruciferae)

Tribe:

Brassiceae

Nomen number:

7661

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:666. 1753

Protologue link:

https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358687

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

02/24/2010 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

695 (608 active, 548 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Brassica napus L. subsp. napus (84 active accession[s])
Brassica napus L. subsp. napus f. annua (Schübl. & G. Martens) Thell. (2 active accession[s])
Brassica napus L. subsp. napus f. napus (2 active accession[s])
Brassica napus L. subsp. napus var. pabularia (DC.) Alef. (0 active accession[s])
Brassica napus L. subsp. rapifera Metzg. (29 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Chen, B.-Y. & W. K. Heneen. 1989. Resynthesized Brassica napus L.: A review of its potential in breeding and genetic analysis. Hereditas (Beijing) 111:255-263.
Chen, H.-F. et al. 2007. Production and genetic analysis of partial hybrids in intertribal crosses between Brassica species (B. rapa, B. napus) and Capsella bursa-pastoris. Pl. Cell Rep. 26:1791-1800.
Cheung, F. et al. 2009. Comparative analysis between homoeologous genome segments of Brassica napus and its progenitor species reveals extensive sequence-level divergence. Pl. Cell 21:1912-1928. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.108.060376.
Chrungu, B. et al. 1999. Production and characterization of interspecific hybrids between Brassica maurorum and crop brassicas. Theor. Appl. Genet. 98:608-613.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Clapham, A. R. et al. 1962. Flora of the British Isles, ed. 2.
Delourme, R. et al. 2006. Major gene and polygenic resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans in oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Eur. J. Pl. Pathol. 114:41-52.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1253.
Erickson, L. R. et al. 1983. Restriction patterns reveal origins of chloroplast genomes in Brassica amphiploids. Theor. Appl. Genet. 65:201-206.
FitzJohn, R. G. et al. 2007. Hybridisation within Brassica and allied genera: evaluation of potential for transgene escape. Euphytica 158:209-230. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Hasan, M. et al. 2006. Analysis of genetic diversity in the Brassica napus L. gene pool using SSR markers. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 53:793-802.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Joyeux, A. et al. 1999. Genetic mapping of plant diseases resistance gene homologues using a minimal Brassica napus population. Genome 42:735-743.
Kirti, P. B. et al. 1995. Transfer of Ogu cytoplasmic male sterility to Brassica juncea and improvement of the male sterile line through somatic cell fusion. Theor. Appl. Genet. 91:517-521.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Kunakh, V. A. et al. 2008. Mixoploidy in wild and cultivated species of Cruciferae capable of hybridizing with rapeseed Brassica napus. Cytol. & Genet. 42:204-209. Note: Translation of: Tsitologiya i genetika. Kiev
Lefol, E. et al. 1997. Sexual hybridisation in crosses of cultivated Brassica species with the crucifers Erucastrum gallicum and Raphanus raphanistrum: potential for gene introgression. Euphytica 95:127-139. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding
Li, M. et al. 2006. Intersubgenomic heterosis in rapeseed production with a partial new-typed Brassica napus containing subgenome Ar from B. rapa and Cc from Brassica carinata. Crop Sci. (Madison) 46:234-242.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Mailer, R. J. et al. 2008. Anti-nutritional components, fibre, sinapine and glucosinolate content, in Australia canola (Brassica napus L.) meal. J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 85:937-944.
Mansfeld, R. 1959. Die Kulturpflanze, Beiheft 2.
Mun-Chan, B. et al. 1986. A checklist of the Korean cultivated plants. Kulturpflanze 34:85.
Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Nicolas, S. D. et al. 2009. Genetic regulation of meiotic cross-overs between related genomes in Brassica napus haploids and hybrids. Pl. Cell 21:373-385.
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Plieske, J. & D. Struss. 2001. STS markers linked to Phoma resistance genes of the Brassica B-genome revealed sequence homology between Brassica nigra and Brassica napus. Theor. Appl. Genet. 102:483-488.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Pradhan, A. K. et al. 1992. Phylogeny of Brassica and allied genera based on variation in chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA patterns: molecular and taxonomic classifications are incongruous. Theor. Appl. Genet. 85:331-340.
Prakash, S., S. R. Bhat & T.-D. Fu. 2009. Chapter 7. Wild germplasm and male sterility. In: Gupta, S. K., Biology and breeding of Crucifers 113-128. Note: CRC Press, Hoboken
Qiong, H. et al. 2009. Chapter 13. Introgression of genes from wild crucifers. In: Gupta, S. K., Biology and breeding of Crucifers 261-308. Note: CRC Press, Hoboken
Rao, G. U. et al. 1998. Isolation of useful variants in alloplasmic crop bassicas in the cytoplasmic background of Erucastrum gallicum. Euphytica 103:301-306. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Rutledge, R. C. et al. 1991. Molecular characterization and genetic origin of the Brassica napus acetohydroxyacid synthase multigene family. Molec. Gen. Genet. 229:31-40.
Rygulla, W. et al. 2007. Broadening the genetic basis of Verticillium longisporum resistance in Brassica napus by interspecific hybridization. Phytopathology 97:1391-1396.
Scheffler, J. A. & P. J. Dale. 1994. Opportunities for gene transfer from transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) to related species. Transgenic Res. 3:263-278.
Siemens, J. 2002. Interspecific hybridisation between wild relatives and Brassica napus to introduce new resistance traits into the oilseed rape gene pool. Czech J. Genet. Pl. Breed. 38:155-157. Note: preceded by Genetika a Slechtini
Snowdon, R. et al. 2007. Chapter 2. Oilseed rape. In: Kole. C., ed., Genome mapping and molecular breeding in plants (7 vols.) 2:55-114. Note: this review recognizes Brassica napus with two subspecies: napobrassica and napus; the latter with two varieties napus and pabularia; provides a compilation on breeding information
Snowdon, R. et al. 2007. Chapter 7. Brassica oilseeds. In: Singh, R. J. et al., eds., Genetic resources, chromosome engineering, and crop improvement 196-230. Note: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton - London - New York
Song, K. et al. 1988. Brassica taxonomy based on nuclear restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). 1. Genome evolution of diploid and amphidiploid species. Theor. Appl. Genet. 75:784-794.
Song, K. et al. 1995. Rapid genome change in synthetic polyploids of Brassica and its implications for polyploid evolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92:7719-7723.
Treuren van, R. et al. 2012. Genetic resources collections of leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, chicory, artichoke, asparagus, lamb's lettuce, rhubarb and rocket salad): composition and gaps. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 59:981-997.
Tsunoda, S. et al. 1980. Brassica crop and wild allies, biology and breeding. 111-112. Note: Japan Science Press, Tokyo.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Velasco, L. et al. 1998. Variability for the fatty acid composition of the seed oil in a germplasm collection of the genus Brassica. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 45:371-382.
Wei, W. et al. 2010. Development of a novel Sinapis arvensis disomic addition line in Brassica napus containing the restorer gene for Nsa CMS and improved resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and pod shattering. Theor. Appl. Genet. 120:1089-1097.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Yao, X.-C. et al. 2010. Intra- and intergenomic relationships in interspecific hybrids between Brassica (B. rapa, B. napus) and a wild species B. maurorum as revealed by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Euphytica 173:113-120. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	seq	Citation
English	rape		1	Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Chinese	ou zhou you cai	欧洲油菜	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Japanese Rōmaji	seiyō-aburana		2	Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Swedish	raps		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
2	Cultivated	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	China	China			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan			Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan		n.	Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Russian Far East	Russian Federation-Far East	Far East		Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia	Eastern Siberia		Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Western Siberia	Western Siberia		Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
2	Cultivated	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
2	Cultivated	Australasia	Australia	Australia			George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
2	Cultivated	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
2	Cultivated	Europe		Europe			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2	Cultivated	Northern America		Canada			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
2	Cultivated	Northern America		Mexico			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
2	Cultivated	Northern America		United States			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
2	Cultivated	Southern America		South America			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
2	Cultivated	Southern America	Central America	Central America			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan			Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4	Naturalized	Europe		Europe			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Canada			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Mexico			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		United States			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Central America			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Chile			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Galápagos		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
6	Other					probable origin in cult.

Cultivated
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Mali
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Zimbabwe

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran
SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia], Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia [Eastern Siberia]
MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan (n.)
RUSSIAN FAR EAST: Russian Federation-Far East [Far East]
CHINA: China
EASTERN ASIA: Japan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Pakistan

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Europe

REGION: Europe

Northern America

REGION: Canada, Mexico, United States

Southern America

CENTRAL AMERICA: Central America
REGION: South America

Naturalized
Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan
CHINA: China
EASTERN ASIA: Japan

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Europe

REGION: Europe

Northern America

REGION: Canada, Mexico, United States

Southern America

CENTRAL AMERICA: Central America
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Ecuador [Galápagos]
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile

Other (probable origin in cult.)

Reference(s)

PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=7661. Accessed 14 April 2026.