white mustard

White mustard is an annual, growing to {{convert|70|cm|in}} high with stalkless pinnate leaves, similar to Sinapis arvensis.Webb, D.A., Parnell, J. and Doogue, D. 1996. An Irish Flora. Dundalgan Press Ltd., Dundalk. {{ISBN|0-85221-131-7}} The yellow flowers of S.{{Nbsp}}alba contain 4 petals per flower and 4 alternating sepals. In addition, their pods are approximately 2.0–4.2 cm long.{{Cite journal |last1=Katepa-Mupondwa |first1=F. |last2=Gugel |first2=R. K. |last3=Raney |first3=J.P. |date=May 11, 2006 |title=Genetic diversity for agronomic, morphological and seed quality traits in Sinapis alba L. (yellow mustard) |url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/P05-185 |journal=Canadian Journal of Plant Science|volume=86 |issue=4 |pages=1015–1025 |doi=10.4141/P05-185 |url-access=subscription }}

Sinapis alba is a long day plant, {{Cite journal |last=Bodson |first=M. |last2=King |first2=R. W. |last3=Evans |first3=L. T. |last4=Bernier |first4=G. |date=1977 |title=The Role of Photosynthesis in Flowering of the Long-Day Plant Sinapis alba |url=https://www.publish.csiro.au/FP/PP9770467 |journal=Functional Plant Biology |language=en |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=467–478 |doi=10.1071/pp9770467 |issn=1445-4416|url-access=subscription }} which means they flower when the amount of light received exceeds their critical photoperiod. Pollen from S. alba is able to be dispersed through wind and insect pollinators, such as wild bees, bumblebees, and flower flies.{{Cite journal |last=Padhy |first=Deepayan |last2=Jayasingh |first2=Sangram |last3=Yadav |first3=Manish |last4=Chatterji |first4=Rishav |date=April 2022 |title=A review on pollinators diversity on mustard |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360218585_A_review_on_pollinators_diversity_on_mustard |journal=International Journal of Entomology Research |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=193-196 |via=ResearchGate}} Additionally, white mustard is an obligate outcrossing species, {{Cite journal |last=Śnieżko |first=Renata |last2=Winiarczyk |first2=Krystyna |date=June 1996 |title=Pollen Tube Incompatibility Reaction on The Stigma in Selfpollinated Sinapis Alba L |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271263035_Pollen_Tube_Incompatibility_Reaction_on_The_Stigma_in_Selfpollinated_Sinapis_Alba_L |journal=Institute of Biology |via=ResearchGate}} that is, white mustard is self-incompatible and cannot self-fertilize.{{Cite journal |last=Nilsson |first=E. |date=2006 |title=The evolutionary tug-of-war between obligate outcrossing and selfing |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286817434_The_evolutionary_tug-of-war_between_obligate_outcrossing_and_selfing |journal=Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift |via=ResearchGate}}

White mustard is one of the species originally described and named by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 book Species Plantarum using the name Sinapis alba. This name continues to be accepted placing it in genus Sinapis in the family Brassicaceae.

In English Sinapis alba is known by the common name white mustard, but is also called yellow mustard.{{Cite web |last1=Acadia University |last2=Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre |last3=University of Toronto Mississauga |last4=University of British Columbia |date=2025 |title=Sinapis alba Linnaeus - Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN) |url=https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/taxon/4118?lang=en |website=Canadensys |language=en |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=14 May 2025}}

Most common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, it can be found worldwide. It has been found as far north as Greenland,Beesley, S. and Wilde, J. 1997. Urban Flora of Belfast. The Institute of Irish Studies and The Queen's University of Belfast. {{ISBN|0-85389-695-X}}. and naturalized throughout the British Isles.Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg, E.F. 1968 Excursion Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-04656-4}}

The yellow flowers of the plant produce glabrous or sparsely bristled seed pods. Each fruit (silique) contains roughly a half dozen seeds. The plants are harvested for their seeds just prior to the seed pods becoming ripe and bursting open (dehiscing).

White mustard seeds are hard spheroid seeds, usually around {{convert|1.0|to|1.5|mm|abbr=on}} in diameter,{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0963-9969(00)00055-7 |title=Rapid aqueous extraction of mucilage from whole white mustard seed |year=2000 |last1=Balke |first1=D. |journal=Food Research International |volume=33 |issue=5 |pages=347–356}} with a color ranging from beige or yellow to light brown. They can be used whole for pickling or toasted for use in dishes. When ground and mixed with other ingredients, a paste or more standard condiment can be produced. Sinapis alba is used to make the commonplace yellow table mustard, with additional yellow coloring provided by turmeric in some formulations.

The seeds contain sinalbin, which is a thioglycoside responsible for their pungent taste. In S. alba, the glucosinolate sinalbin is broken down by enzymes like myrosinase, resulting in the formation of 'white principles'. These white principles consist of {{nowrap|p-hydroxy}} benzyl isothiocyanate and {{nowrap|p-hydroxy}} benzylamine.{{Cite book |title=Handbook of herbs and spices. Vol. 2 |date=2012 |publisher=Woodhead Publ |isbn=978-0-85709-568-8 |editor-last=Peter |editor-first=K. V. |edition=2 |series=Woodhead Publishing series in food science, technology and nutrition |volume=2 |location=Oxford}} White mustard has fewer volatile oils than black mustard seeds, and the flavor is considered to be milder.{{cite journal |title=Extraction and residual antinutritional components in protein fractions of Sinapis alba and Brassica napus oil-free meals |year=2011 |last1=Tan |first1=S. H. |journal=17th Australian Research Assembly on Brassicas (ARAB). Wagga Wagga, NSW |pages=107}}{{cite book|isbn= 978-0340584699 |title=The Complete Book of Herbs & Spices: An Illustrated Guide to Growing and Using Culinary, Aromatic, Cosmetic and Medicinal Plants |year=1993 |last1=Garland |first1=S. |publisher=Frances Lincoln Limited, Rydalmere, NSW, Australia}}

In Greece, the plant's leaves are eaten during the winter, before it blooms. Greeks call it {{Lang|el-latn|vrouves}} ({{Lang|el|βρούβα}}) or {{Lang|el-latn|lapsana}} ({{Lang|el|λαψάνα}}). The blooming season of this plant (February–March) is celebrated with the Mustard Festival, a series of festivities in the wine country of California (Napa and Sonoma Counties).{{Cite web |title=Napa Valley Mustard Celebration {{!}} Events & Specials |url=https://www.napavalleymustardcelebration.com/events.html |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=Napa Valley Mustard Celebration |language=en}}

White mustard is commonly used as a cover and green manure crop in Europe (between the UK and Ukraine).

A large number of varieties exist,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bundessortenamt.de/internet30/fileadmin/Files/PDF/bsl_getreide_2015.pdf |title=Germany |access-date=2017-12-01 |archive-date=2017-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510120732/https://www.bundessortenamt.de/internet30/fileadmin/Files/PDF/bsl_getreide_2015.pdf |url-status=dead }}[http://www.kennisakker.nl/files/Kennisdocument/Rassenbulletin_groenbemesters_2014.pdf Netherlands] mainly differing in lateness of flowering and resistance against white beet-cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii). Farmers generally prefer late-flowering varieties that do not produce seeds which may develop into weeds in the subsequent year's crop rotation. Early vigor is important to cover the soil quickly to suppress weeds and protect the soil against erosion. In rotations with sugar beets, suppression of the sugar beet nematode (SBCN) is an important trait. Since white mustard is a SBCN-resistant crop, it is able to reduce nematode populations by preventing growth of young nematodes.{{Cite journal |last=Hafez |first=Saad |date=1998 |title=Sugar Beet Nematodes in Idaho and Eastern Oregon |url=https://www.uidaho.edu/-/media/UIdaho-Responsive/Files/Extension/publications/cis/cis1072.pdf?la=en |journal=University of Idaho}}

Additionally, white mustard can be used in biodiesel production as feedstock and is used as alternative fuel. More applications of white mustard include being used as a binding agent in meat processing, a lubricant for lighting, and in traditional medicine for its antiviral properties.{{Cite journal |last1=Mitrović |first1=Petar M. |last2=Stamenković |first2=Olivera S. |last3=Banković-Ilić |first3=Ivana |last4=Djalović |first4=Ivica G. |last5=Nježić |first5=Zvonko B. |last6=Farooq |first6=Muhammad |last7=Siddique |first7=Kadambot H. M. |last8=Veljković |first8=Vlada B. |date=2020 |title=White Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) Oil in Biodiesel Production: A Review |journal=Frontiers in Plant Science |volume=11 |pages=299 |doi=10.3389/fpls.2020.00299 |doi-access=free |issn=1664-462X |pmc=7142246 |pmid=32300349}}

Image:Sinapis alba 1.JPG|flowering plant

Image:Sinapis alba Habitus 2010-4-11 DehesaBoyalPuertollano.jpg|plant

Image:Gele mosterd bloemen Sinapis alba.jpg|flowers

Image:Sinapis alba fruits IP0307031.jpg|seed pods

Image:Gele mosterd groenbemesting (Sinapis alba green manuring).jpg|cover crop

• Mustard plant
• Mustard seed

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Sinapisalba_page.htm Sinapis alba] Flowers in Israel
• {{CalPhotos|Sinapis|alba}}
• {{Calflora|Sinapis alba}}
• {{PFAF|Sinapis alba}}
• http://www.maltawildplants.com/CRUC/Sinapis_alba.php Comprehensive profile for Sinapis alba.

{{Herbs & spices}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q146202}}

Category:Spices

Category:Brassicaceae

Category:Medicinal plants

Category:Plants described in 1753