Research in the 1960s indicated the acid could be harmful. A breeding program initiated in Canada began producing rapeseed varieties with low erucic acid content. This led to sales of canola oil in the United States, with only part of the demand met by U.S. producers. Canola oil has achieved worldwide commodity status and is extensively used in Japan, Canada and other countries. The winter type is best adapted for Missouri conditions and is seeded early in the fall, with two leaf-like cotyledons emerging five to 10 days after seeding.
Seedlings go dormant in winter, with loss of the above-ground material.
The plant remains alive as long as the crown, a thickened storage structure below the soil line, does not die. New leaf tissue is generated in early spring. A single stalk forms that reaches 12 to 20 inches in height by the start of the flowering stage. During the flowering stage, the main stem and branches reach 4 to 5 feet in height, with bright yellow flowers forming continuously near the tip of the growing stem and branches. Pods develop upward along the stem, starting about 18 inches above the soil.