title: Wild almond (Prunus scoparia L.) as potential oilseed resource for the future: Studies on the variability of its oil content and composition.
abstract: Wild almond genetic resources have still not received considerable attention for oil chemical compositions and uses. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of variation in oil content and fatty acid composition in forty Iranian accessions of Prunus scoparia L. (Spach) to identify genotypes with desirable traits in terms of oil quantity, quality and industrial utilization. Oil parameters and indices were measured, and fatty acid methyl ester analysis was carried out by gas liquid chromatography. Oleic and linoleic fatty acids showed high variability among accessions, ranging from 232.4 to 359.6g/kg oil and from 190.7 to 348.8g/kg oil, respectively. Total unsaturated fatty acid fraction was higher than total saturated fatty acid. The ranges of saponification number (199.2-202.1), iodine value (104.8-125.7kg I2/kg) and cetane number (43.8-48.8), confirmed that the oils have industrial potentialities. Results could contribute to select wild almond genotypes as genetic sources for oil production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, P.O. Box 61355/144, Iran.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sorkheh
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, P.O. Box 19395-3697, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Soghra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiani
authors.affiliation: School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy. Electronic address: adriano.sofo@unibas.it.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofo
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D007492:Iran; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis*; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D010938:Plant Oils
keywords: Fatty acid composition; Oil chemical parameters; Oil content; Oil quality indices; Wild almond