Sulfur Nutrition Its Relationship to the Production of Glucosinolates in Brassica Carinata.

Brassica carinata is a high yielding oilseed crop already being tested in the southeastern US during the winter season. Nutrient management is a key component to the success of carinata within this new environment, including sulfur. In these experiments, we tested the production of oil and glucosinolates (GSL) of B. carinata with canola through varying rates of sulfur. Trials were conducted in a semi-controlled environment as well as two field sites with variable soil characteristics to capture more of the diversity of Florida farmlands. We also wanted to build on the idea of providing additional value to this crop by focusing on sustainability and maximizing beneficial ecosystem services. We focused on the production of GSL in B. carinata since some classes are considered undesirable in the seed while others could be used to control soil-borne pathogens through biofumigation through the roots. By reducing sulfur availability to a tolerate level, we managed to reduce the production of aliphatic glucosinolates without greatly affecting indole or aromatic glucosinolates in the roots. The results of this study can be used to manage soil-borne pathogens in the soil and increase its qualities while maintaining high oil production.