Nature’s tiny powerhouse: Important roles of oilseeds

Abstract

Oilseed crops are grown for the purpose of extraction of oil, which is contained in their seeds. Oil content of different oilseed crops varies from 20% for soybean to 40% of sunflower. Seed oils are used for industrial as well as edible purposes. Major world oilseed crops are soybean, sunflower, Brassica, canola, coconut, oil palm, rapeseed peanut, rice and cotton. Oilseeds and oilseed meals are included in diet fed to livestock to provide protein and energy. They are the second most important determinant of the agricultural economy, after the grain and the field crop segment.