This publication contains the proceedings of a seminar on 'Production and Utilization of Protein in Oilsead Crops', held at Braunschweig from 8 to 10 July, 1980. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Commission of the European Communities, as part of the EEC Common Research Programme on Plant Protein Improvement. Methods for the intensive production of meat and milk have been adopted to an increasing extent in EEC coun±ries over the past two decades, their success is based on animal diets of high quality, balanced for energy and protein contents. The substantial improvements in cereal yields in EEC over this period has kept pace with the increasing demand for dietary energy in concentrated animal foodstuffs, but provision of the necessary protein supplementation has required ever-increasing imports of soybean products. Grain legumes and oilseed meals are the two main sources of concentrated protein for the animal feeds industry, and there is an urgent need for increased EEC production of both. Seminars on grain legumes have been held at regular intervals since 1976; the meeting at Braunschweig, now reported, was the first to consider in detail the potential contribution from oilseed crops suitable for EEC conditions. Local arrangements for the seminar were made by Professor Dr. M. Dambroth, Dr. C. Sommer, and their colleagues at the Institut fUr Pflanzenbau und Pflanzenzuchtung, Braunschweig - Volkenr6de.

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Session I: Genetic and Breeding Aspects of Rapeseed, Sunflower and Soyabean I.- Potentials and Restrictions of Breeding for Protein Improvement in Rapeseed.- Discussion.- The Crop Physiology of Rapeseed.- Discussion.- Problems in Simultaneous Breeding for Oil and Protein Content in Sunflower.- Aspects and Progress of Oil Crop Breeding in Spain.- Discussion.- The Use of Tissue Culture in Breeding Oilseed Crops.- Aspects of Plant Regeneration from Single Cells and Protoplasts of Brassica napus.- Short Communication.- Short Communication.- Application of Protoplast Fusion in the Improvement of Rapeseed Yield.- Discussion.- Session II: Genetic and Breeding Aspects of Rapeseed, Sunflower and Soyabean II.- Breeding for Low Content of Glucosinolates in Rapeseed.- New Methods of Quantitative Analysis of Glucosinolates.- Discussion.- Content and Pattern of Glucosinolates in Resynthesised Rapeseed.- Discussion.- Breeding Aspects of Sunflower in Middle Europe.- Discussion.- Experience in Soyabean Breeding in Middle Europe.- Discussion.- Session III: Agricultural Aspects of Rapeseed, Sunflower and Soyabean.- Regulation of Pod and Seed Numbers in Oilseed Rape.- Discussion.- Plant-Water Relations of Rapeseed.- Discussion.- Short Communication.- Main Factors Limiting Sunflower Yield in Dry Areas.- Discussion.- Yield Stability in Soyabean in North-Eastern Italy.- Discussion.- Session IV: Aspects of Animal Nutrition.- Nutritive Value of Protein Feedingstuffs from Oilseed Crops.- Use of Oil Meals for Determining Protein Requirements or as Supplements for Rat and Pig Diets.- Discussion.- Short Communication - Nutritional Value of Rapeseed Meal.- Nutritional Problems Related to Double Low Rapeseed in Animal Nutrition.- Discussion.- Rapeseed Meal in Poultry Rations.- Discussion.- Rapeseed Meal as a Protein Supplement for Dairy Cows - Results from Feeding Experiments in Sweden.- Discussion.- Session V.- Closing Session.- Final Discussion.- List of Participants.