High oleic acid significantly extends the viability of long-term stored peanut seeds

Authors: Wang, Ming; Tonnis, Brandon; TISHCHENKO, VIKTOR - University Of Georgia; Tallury, Shyamalrau

Submitted to: Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2025
Publication Date: 6/4/2025
Citation: Wang, M.L., Tonnis, B.D., Tishchenko, V., Tallury, S.P. 2025. High oleic acid significantly extends the viability of long-term stored peanut seeds. Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1479262125000097.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1479262125000097

Interpretive Summary: Peanut seeds from one inventory of PI 268941 were stored at -18C in one aluminum bag for thirty years. In the same bag it had two types of peanut seeds. These two types of seeds were genetically different for fatty acid desaturase gene 2B (FAD2B). One type of seeds contained a much higher level of oleic acid (78.9%) than another type of seeds (48.19%) by chemical analysis. When these two types of seeds were planted in the greenhouse, the seeds containing higher oleic acid had a much higher germination rate and seedling normality rate than the seeds containing normal oleic acid. This means that high oleic acid can significantly extend the viability of long-term stored seeds. The information revealed in this study will be useful for germplasm preservation as well as the selection of seeds for planting and agricultural production based on seed fatty acid composition and storage length.

Technical Abstract: Seed chemical composition and oxidation after long-term storage may affect seed longevity, seed germination and seedling normality after planting. By screening the entire USDA cultivated peanut germplasm collection for fatty acid composition, we identified the -01 inventory of accession PI 268941 with the following characteristics: (a) two distinct seed fatty acid profiles (high oleate 78.9% and normal oleate 48.19%); (b) two FAD2B genotypes (with and without a functional point mutation of 435DelT within the FAD2B gene); and (c) uniform plant morphology and seed-coat color. This inventory had been stored at -18°C within the same sealed aluminum bag for 30 years and was acquired to investigate the relationship between seed chemical composition and seed performance after planting using individual seed analysis. Our results indicated that (1) the spontaneous point-functional mutation 435T deletion of FAD2B within the accession led to the high and normal oleate seeds; (2) additional unidentified compounds observed during analysis may be due to a higher oxidation rate in normal oleate seeds than in high oleate seeds; (3) the high oleate seeds had significantly higher rates of seed germination and seedling normality than the normal oleate seeds; and (4) the seedling performance highly and significantly correlated with fatty acid composition and extra peaks. Our results suggest that high oleic acid significantly extends the viability of long-term stored peanut seeds. The information revealed in this study will be useful for germplasm preservation as well as the selection of seeds for planting and agricultural production based on seed fatty acid composition and storage length.