Keeping consistent with the current cropping pattern of rice-rice-rape and the requirement of rapeseed mechanized cultivation, early maturity has become increasingly important in rapeseed theoretical and breeding research. Here we reviewed the current progress based on the aspects of academic research, variety breeding and application of early-maturing rapeseed varieties. First, we introduced the early maturity, the growth phenotype and the selection reference of early maturity. Second, the theoretical research of early maturity, including the genetic analysis and gene mapping were summarized. Third, the breeding necessity, breeding approaches, breeding process, and variety application and prospect were introduced. Finally, we suggested the bottlenecks and countermeasures of early maturity in rapeseed. This report will provide insight for the innovation of germplasm and breeding of early-maturity rapeseed.