genetically, "c. abyssinica" has a set of 2n=90 chromosomes and is hexaploid. however, it shows low genetic variation in important agronomic traits, e.g. erucic acid content. thus, improvement of cultivars through selection is difficult to achieve. a new source of variation could be found in the related taxon "crambe hispanica". recent efforts are found in the field of gene technology. to overcome the limited genetic variation, gene technology has been used in recent years to improve different important agronomic traits of crambe. site-directed mutagenesis could be another tool for further improvement of the crop. however, the genetic control of many agronomic traits are unknown, thus the potential for genetic improvement is limited at the moment. additionally further research aims to assess the potential of using the seed cake in protein-based plastic production and to find further uses for the whole plant.