> Canola seedmeal .... is often used as a fertilizer source
> by organic growers who are looking or alternatives to
> chemical fertilizers.
This brought to mind work I saw at the University of Idaho on nematode
control by application of rapeseed meal. The glucosinolates (horse-radish
hot stuff) in the meal break down to make volatile isocyanates (just like
Vapam). But if my memory serves me correctly, most canola has been bred to
be free of glucosinolates, specifically so the meal can be fed to cattle.
High glucosinolate meal, perhaps from certain industrial rapeseed cultivars
might be cheaper because it cannot be fed.
> Unfortunately, when canola is processed, the conventional and
> GE varieties are not separated (snip)
> This is causing a great dilema for organic growers.
But, who cares, it's just going to rot in the soil.
> Using canola seedmeal helps recycle a waste into an input.
> Now, however, using this byproduct can be seen as supporting
> the biotech industry
Is that any more evil than supporting all the rest of the industry?
Dale
PS: You can also fumigate your soil by plowing down various Brassica or
Raphanus green manures that contain glucosinolates. Saad Hafez at the Parma
R&E Center, Parma, ID has done a lot of work on this.
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