| abstract |
Improved rape plants, seeds capable of forming the same, and a novel improved vegetable oil derived from the rapeseeds are provided. Such plants have the ability to yield a vegetable oil of increased heat stability in combination with other desirable traits. The increased stability of the vegetable oil is attributable to the presence of an unusually high oleic acid content in the rapeseeds which has been lacking in the available rape plants of the prior art. It has been found that the novel rape plants of the present invention reliably can be formed by mutagenesis followed by selection as described. The vegetable oil produced by the improved rape plants of the present invention is particularly well suited for use as a frying oil wherein the increased stability at elevated temperatures is of prime importance. In a preferred embodiment wherein the vegetable oil is used as a frying oil, the alpha-linolenic acid content concomitantly is reduced which additionally imparts an increased oxidative stability. |