ABSTRACT
In the drive for increased productivity, the entire plant and its interaction with the environment must be considered as the best genes for yield and storage product accumulation cannot function in isolation from functions of the entire plant. Also, for sustainable development there must be an appreciation of how plants adapt to the challenges of a changing environment to maintain growth and metabolism. Consequently, Brassica oilseed crops of the future will require a battery of traits which will allow effi cient use of resources and the ability to withstand biotic and abiotic insults while yield is maximized. To achieve this end it will be necessary to use the available genomic resources to gain insights into the molecular and physiological basis of crop performance in relation to nutrient and water use as well as environmental interactions.
