EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND SULFUR APPLICATION ON YIELD AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF MUSTARD (BRASSICA-JUNCEA L.) OIL

The effects of nitrogen and sulphur on the yield and fatty acid compos ition of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) oil were studied in a field expe riment. Significantly higher grain and oil yields were obtained with N and S application. Applications of nitrogen up to 60 kg ha(-1) and su lphur up to 40 kg ha(-1) favourably influenced the grain yield. Increa sing levels of N decreased the oil content while application of sulphu r improved the oil content. The contents of linoleic and linolenic aci d were maximum (16.82 and 8.73%, respectively) with 60 kg N along with 40 kg S ha(-1). No use of fertilizers led to higher contents of undes irable fatty acids such as palmitic (hypercholesterimic) and erucic (d o not have food value) acids.