The oilseed crops research department has begun its activities since 1969 with to promote cultivating and development of major oilseed crops. The research activities in this department are mainly focused on oilseed rape, sunflower, soybean, sesame, and safflower. Introduction, breeding, and release of new adapted oilseed crops cultivars to be grown in different ecologies in Iran. Agronomic and physiological research and recommendations for better crop management are among the research priorities of this department. Research and scientific relations and collaborations with Iranian and international research centers and universities, participation in international conferences and training courses for researchers in international universities/institutions, exchanging information, and germplasm with developed countries are also among the activities of the department.

The research projects on oilseed crops are conducted at the national and provincial levels. Currently, approximately 60 research projects and 150 research experiments are being conducted at the headquarter (Karaj) and 36 research stations all across the country (Fig 1). Since the Islamic Revolution, 61 high yielding and well-adapted oilseed crop cultivars for different agroclimatic conditions of Iran have been released by the department (Fig 2).