Editing Mustard (JS)

{{PlantProfile
| scientific_name = Brassica juncea
| family = Brassicacea
| varieties = <li>Scarlet Frills (ID: 223)</li>
<li>Wasabi (ID: 114)</li>
<li>Garnet Giant (ID: 224)</li>
<li>Karashina (ID: 111)</li>
<li>Wasabina (ID: 109)</li>
}}
<span id="introduction"></span>
== Introduction ==

'''Brassica juncea''', commonly known as brown mustard, Indian mustard, or leaf mustard, is a species within the Brassicaceae family. It is a hybrid of ''B. nigra'' and ''B. rapa'', primarily cultivated in eastern Asia<ref>https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/BRSJU</ref>. This plant is widely distributed and used as both a leafy vegetable and for producing mustard seeds<ref>https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/BRSJU</ref>. ''Brassica juncea'' is significant for its use in phytoremediation, as it can tolerate and remove heavy metals from contaminated soils<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica_juncea</ref>.

<span id="characteristics"></span>
== Characteristics ==

* '''Physical Characteristics''': ''Brassica juncea'' is an annual herb with erect growth, reaching heights of 1 to 1.5 feet. It has coarse, deciduous leaves and produces yellow flowers in terminal clusters<ref>https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/brassica-juncea</ref>. Varieties like ‘Wasabina’ have yellowish-green, serrated leaves and are harvested when the plant is less than 20 cm tall<ref>https://flower-db.com/en/flowers/brassica-juncea-wasabina</ref>.
* '''Growing Conditions''': It thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained, rich, consistently moist soil. It prefers a neutral soil pH (6.0-8.0) and is a cool-season crop, doing best in fall and spring<ref>https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/brassica-juncea</ref>.
* '''Lifecycle''': The plant undergoes eight main growth stages: germination, leaf development, stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, and seed production<ref>https://saskmustard.com/production-manual/plant-description/growth-stages/index.html</ref>.

<span id="why-is-this-crop-useful-for-space"></span>
== Why is this crop useful for space? ==

''Brassica juncea'' could be beneficial for space cultivation due to several reasons: - '''Nutritional Value''': It provides essential nutrients and can be consumed raw or cooked, making it a versatile crop for space missions. - '''Phytoremediation''': Its ability to tolerate and remove heavy metals could be useful in maintaining healthy soil conditions in controlled environments like space habitats. - '''Growth Characteristics''': As a cool-season crop with rapid growth, it could thrive in controlled environments with optimized temperature and light conditions.

<span id="history-of-cultivation-in-space"></span>
== History of Cultivation in Space ==

There is no specific information available on the cultivation of ''Brassica juncea'' in space. However, its characteristics make it a potential candidate for future space agriculture projects focused on sustainable food production and environmental management in space habitats.


== References ==
<references />