Characteristics
- Origin: Ethiopia app. 4000 BC
- Characteristics of cabbage and mustard
- Very well adapted to dry and hot conditions
- Not hardy
- Long, wide and red violett leaves
- Very late flowering
- Strong stem
- Fast youth development followed by moderate growth
- Brown-black seed grain
Environmental needs
- Undemanding, tolerates drought
- Ideal growth conditions: 10-25°C
- Tolerated growth conditions: 5-35°C
Use
- Cover crop
- Forage (e.g. Mobgrazing)
- Oil production (seeds), vegetable (young shoots and leaves)
Green manure
- Broad, extensive root structure
- Good weed suppression
- Good feed for soil fungi (wax layer/lipids)
Function within TerraLife®
- Early sowing - high photosynthesis performance
- Dry germination
- Drought and heat tolerant
- good ground cover
- long vegetative phase = prevention of volunteer seeds
- Good use of available nitrogen
- Spot of colour
