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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #93746
Title: INHERITANCE OF REDUCED STEARIC AND PALMITIC ACID CONTENT IN SEED OIL OF SUNFLOWER

Author
item Miller, Jerry
item Vick, Brady

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: American consumers have become concerned with reducing the saturated fat content of their diet, particularly more so in the past few years. Studies have indicated that high levels of saturated fat consumption may contribute to increased blood serum cholesterol and that high blood serum cholesterol increases the risk of coronary heart disease. The saturated fatty acid content of sunflower oil is considered moderate (12 to 13%), however a further reduction to 6 to 8% would increase consumer acceptance of sunflower oil and benefit the industry. Three mutagen lines were found to have lower saturated content, one with lower palmitic acid content and two with lower stearic acid content. The genetic inheritance of these reductions was determined. The combination of the alleles for low stearic and low palmitic acid content identified in this study could reduce the total saturated fatty acid content of oil in sunflower to less than 8%.

Technical Abstract: This study was conducted to determine if treatments of seeds with two mutagens, NMU and EMS, could alter the saturated fatty acid levels of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) oil and to determine the inheritance of low stearic and low palmitic acid content. Two lines were found with lower stearic acid content and one line was found with lower palmitic acid content. Segregation ratios of F2 and testcross progeny indicated that the low stearic acid content was controlled by one gene with additive gene action in HA 821 (LS-1), and two genes with additive gene action in RHA 274 (LS-2). One allele was found in RHA 274 (LP-1) to control low palmitic acid content with additive gene action. The combination of the alleles for low stearic and low palmitic acid content identified in this study could reduce the total saturated fatty acid content of oil in sunflower from 13% to less than 8%, increasing consumer acceptance of sunflower oil and benefiting the industry.