New mutants of winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) with changed fatty acid composition

Seeds of the winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) line PN 3756/93 were treated with ethyl methanesulphonate to induce mutations in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. The seed mutagenic treatment was repeated in the M₂ generation. After treatments, individual seed and plant selections were made for changes in fatty acid composition during several generations of inbreeding. Self‐pollinated plants with changed fatty acid compositions were inbred to obtain genetically homozygous and stable mutant lines. Two mutants, M‐10453 and M‐10464, with increased levels of oleic acid (approximately 76%) and reduced linoleic and linolenic acid contents (8.5% and 7.5%, respectively) were selected. Gene or genes controlling desaturation of oleic acid were probably mutated in these plants. The third mutant, M‐681 had a very low linolenic acid content (approximately 2.6%) and increased linoleic acid content (approximately 26%). This would suggest the occurrence of mutations in genes controlling linoleic acid desaturation. The results of selection work during several generations showed that the environment had substantial influence on the composition of seed oil. This made the search for mutants with modify fatty acid compositions difficult. The induced mutants are not directly usable as new varieties, but can be used as parents in crosses for the development of high quality rapeseed varieties.     

Increasing erucic acid content in Ethiopian mustard through mutation breeding

Ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) was applied to seeds of the Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) line C-101. Bulk samples of M₃ seeds from 8331 M₂ plants were evaluated for the fatty acid composition of their oil by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and by further gas chromatography on selected samples. A putative mutant, N2-6230, showing very low oleic acid content (4.7% vs. average of 8.6% in C-101) and erucic acid content within the range of variation of the line C-101 (40-49.3%) was identified. The M₃ progeny of this mutant showed a wide segregation for erucic acid content (39.1-57.9% vs. 41.8-50.3% in C-101), and maintained levels of oleic acid lower than in line C-101. Selection for high erucic acid content in the M₃ and M₄ generations led to the fixation of this mutation in the M₅ generation (52.2-59.3% vs. 39.0-47.6% in C-101). This is the first high erucic acid line obtained in Brassica species through mutation breeding. Its utility in future programmes to develop very high erucic acid lines is discussed.     

Impact of low linolenic acid content on seed yield of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

An essential quality improvement of rapeseed oil can be obtained by reduction of its linolenic acid (C18:3) content from about 10% to less than 3% of the total fatty acids. Genotypes low in C18:3 have been developed by mutagenesis. The initial summer rapeseed mutant had been low yielding and highly susceptible to various diseases. It has been debated whether the low C18:3 character can be successfully combined with high seed yield for physiological reasons. Therefore, the low linolenic character of mutant M48 was transferred into high-yielding genotypes by repeated backcrossing to well-adapted low erucic acid, low glucosinolate (00-) winter rapeseed cultivars. Lines with low C18:3 content were selected from BC3 and BC4 generations and examined in 1990–95. Positive selection response for seed yield was shown to continue over the years. Presently, the best lines are yielding as well as the control cultivars being equivalent also in oil and glucosinolate contents. In order to test the effect of a low C18:3 content on seed yield, plants with low and with high C18:3 content, respectively, were selected from 16 segregating BC5-F₂ populations and bulked to form 32 F₃ populations. These ‘isogenic’ bulk populations were tested for field performance at four locations in 1995. The results show that C18:3 content of the seed oil is not associated with seed yield, oil content, beginning of flowering, plant height and disease resistance. Means of relative seed yield for the high and the low linolenic F₃ bulk populations were not significantly different with 88.0% and 86.9% of the control cultivars, respectively. There was a significant interaction between genotypes with high or low C18:3 content and location. This shows that under specific environmental conditions a low C18:3 content may be either favourable or unfavourable. The results indicate that the low C18:3 character of the original mutants per se does not cause a decrease in seed yield, oil content or general field performance.     

Prospects for the Development of Rapeseed (B. napus L.) with Improved Linoleic and Linolenic Acid Content

The special aspects of the Western Australian rape-seed breeding programme for the improvement of C₁₈ fatty acids (FA) have been highlighted. Progress made through the use of ‘Oro’-mutant and IXLIN (interspecific X derived) as sources of genes fur improved C₁₈ FA is discussed. These two donor lines were crossed or intercrossed with high yielding, disease resistant B. napus lines (summer and winter type) or their early generation progenies from interspecific crosses with B. juncea or B. carinata. Tins provided suitable genetic diversity and favourable agronomic background for the introgression of target genes or gene system for improved C₁₈ fatty acids. Many of the polyenoic lines selected from these crosses have indicated scope for combining high linoleic and low linolenic acid levels, with maintenance of good growths and seed development in plants well adapted to the environment.     

甘蓝型油菜主要脂肪酸组成的QTL定位

应用RAPD、SSR和SRAP技术, 对甘蓝型油菜低芥酸品系APL01与高芥酸品系M083杂交组合的BC1F1群体进行检测, 获得251个分子标记, 构建了19个连锁群组成的分子标记遗传图谱; 应用WinQTLCart 2.0对油菜主要脂肪酸组成进行QTL扫描, 获得与棕榈酸含量相关的QTL 5个, 分别位于N3、N8、N10和N13连锁群, 其中效应值较大的主效QTL qPA8-1和qPA13分别可解释棕榈酸含量表型变异的11.31%和14.47%。获得与硬脂酸含量相关的QTL 3个, 分别位于N1、N8和N16连锁群, 其中效应值较大的主效QTL qST16可解释硬脂酸含量表型变异的12.22%。获得与油酸含量相关的QTL 2个, 位于N8和N13连锁群, 均为主效QTL, 其中qOL8位于N8连锁群的m11e37b~A0226Ba267区间, 可解释油酸含量表型变异的11.73%, qOL13位于N13连锁群的m18e46~m20e25a区间, 可解释表型变异的27.14%。获得与亚油酸含量相关的QTL 3个, 其中主效QTL qLI8-1位于N8连锁群, 可解释亚油酸含量表型变异的13.25%。获得与亚麻酸含量相关的QTL 3个, 效应值均较小, 属微效QTL。获得与廿碳烯酸含量相关的QTL 4个, 分别位于N8、N13和N15连锁群, 其中主效QTL qEI8-1、qEI8-2和qEI13分别可解释廿碳烯酸含量表型变异的12.20%、10.22%和11.14%。获得与芥酸含量相关的QTL 2个, 位于N8和N13连锁群, 均为主效QTL, 其中qER8位于N8连锁群的m11e37b~A0226Ba267区间, 可解释芥酸含量表型变异的16.74%; qER13位于N13连锁群的A0301Bb398~m18e46区间, 可解释芥酸含量表型变异的31.32%。在N8连锁群的分子标记m11e27b附近及N13连锁群的分子标记m18e46附近存在多个主要脂肪酸的主效QTL, 这些标记可用于油菜脂肪酸改良的分子标记辅助选择。     

Changes in fatty acid composition associated with recurrent selection for groat-oil content in oat

Summary Groat oil of oat (Avena sativa L.) is a well-balanced oil with respect to saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In this study, we measured the effect of six cycles of recurrent selection for high groat-oil content on the fatty acid composition of the groat oil. From each cycle of selection, 50 oat lines were grown in a replicated field experiment at two sites and were evaluated for groat-oil content and fatty acid composition.Concentrations of palmitate and linolenate decreased moderately over cycles of selection, whereas stearate content increased. A major increase occurred in the content of oleate and a major decrease in linoleate. Most of the modification of fatty acid composition took place within the saturated and unsaturated classes. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids increased over cycles of selection. Significant genetic variation was present for each fatty acid, indicating that selection for different desired fatty acid compositions in groat oil of oat should be possible in this population.Abbreviations GO groat-oil content - 16:1 palmitate - 18:0 stearate - 18:1 oleate - 18:2 linoleate - 18:3 linolenate     

Fatty acid composition of resynthesized Brassica napus and trigenomic Brassica void of genes for erucic acid in their A genomes

The fatty acid composition of seed oil of four interspecific hybrids, resulting from crosses between zero erucic acid Brassica rapa (AA), and high erucic acid Brassica alboglabra/Brassica oleracea (CC) and Brassica carinata (BBCC), void of erucic acid genes in their A‐genomes was examined. The erucic acid content in resynthesized Brassica napus (AACC) lines derived from these crosses was only about half that of the high erucic acid CC genome parents, indicating equal contributions of the two genomes to oil (fatty acid) synthesis and accumulation. The differences in C18 fatty acid synthesis between the parents were also evident in the resulting resynthesized B. napus plants. Hexaploid Brassica plants of the genomic constitution AABBCC, in which the AA genome was incapable of erucic acid synthesis, had lower erucic acid contents than the B. carinata (BBCC) parent. This is plausible considering the fact that the zero erucic acid AA genome contributes to oil synthesis in AABBCC plants, thus reducing erucic acid content.     

Isolation of induced mutants in linseed (Linum usitatissimum) having reduced linolenic acid content

Summary Seeds of Linum usitatissimum cv. Glenelg were treated with either gamma-rays or EMS in an attempt to induce mutations with a lower level of linolenic acid in linseed oil. Two mutant lines were identified in which linolenic acid constituted approximately 29% of the total fatty acid content compared with 43% in seed oil from untreated Glenelg plants. The reduced level of linolenic acid in the mutants is accompanied by an increase in the level of linoleic acid to 30% compared with 18% in Glenelg, but there was no change in the proportions of other fatty acids. These proportions of linolenic acid and linolenic acid are respectively the highest and lowest yet reported in stable genotypes of L. usitatissimum. The strong inverse relationship between these two fatty acids in these genotypes suggests that linolenic acid is synthesised by desaturation of linolenic acid and indicates that it may be possible to breed an edible linseed oil having both low levels of linolenic acid and high levels of linolenic acid.     

Genetical Studies of Gibberellic Acid Insensitivity in Rye (Secale cereale L.)

Genetic analysis of three semi-dwarf genotypes of rye (Secale cereale L.)—‘Moskowskij Karlik’, ‘Gülzow kurz’ and ‘R 18’, which were shown to be insensitive to applied gibberellic acid (GA₃), has been carried out by using a seedling test. It could be demonstrated that all of the three genotypes are carrying recessive alleles for GA-insensitivity. Whereas the alleles of ‘Moskowskij Karlik’ and ‘R 18’ seem to have the same locus on chromosome 5R, the GA-insensitivity of ‘Gülzow kurz’ is governed by a different gene, most probably located on chromosome 7R. The relationship between the genes (alleles) for GA-insensitivity and semi-dwarfness, including the symbolization of the Gai-genes as well as their utilization in rye breeding is discussed.     

Assessment of growth and seed oil composition of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) germplasm

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth characteristics and fatty acid composition among 15 kenaf mutants derived from the kenaf germplasm C14 and 15 kenaf accessions originating from Russia, India, China, Iran, and Italy. The overall growth performance (plant height, stem diameter, flowering date, leaf, and flower size) of the stem color mutant lines derived from C14 are similar to those of the original variety. However, the flower color mutant lines derived from C14 showed flowering to occur 10 days later when compared with the original variety and showed smaller leaf sizes than the original variety. Late-ripened kenaf accessions (Jinju, Auxu, and Jnagdae) can yield more bio-mass compared with early or medium-maturing germplasm. The late maturity kenaf (Auxu, Jinju, and Jangdae) has a higher oil percentage than the early maturity germplasm. Linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids were the predominant fatty acids in all kenaf seeds. The stem color mutant lines significantly surpassed the parental means of all saturated fatty acids. In addition, the flower color mutant lines showed broad ranges of variation in oleic acid. The 15 accessions showed a wide range of fatty acid compositions, spanning from 29.75 to 38.30% saturated fatty acids and 61.70 to 70.24% total unsaturated fatty acids, and the late maturity kenaf has a higher linoleic acid percentage than the early maturity germplasm. The flowering period was highly positively (P ≤ 0.01) correlated with the plant height, stem diameter, oil percent, and linolenic acid (C_18:3), and it was significantly negatively (P ≤ 0.01) correlated with stearic acid (C_18:0). These results will provide valuable information to assist the parental selection of kenaf breeding.     

Erucic acid heredity in Brassica juncea - some additional information

Genetic studies were undertaken to reassess erucic acid heredity in Brassica juncea. Analysis of segregation in F₂ and BC₁ generations from two zero × high erucic acid crosses indicated that higher erucic acid in B. juncea was controlled by two dominant genes with additive effects, whereas segregation in a cross involving ‘CCWF 16′, a genotype having intermediate erucic acid (25.6%), and a zero erucic acid strain, indicated monogenic dominant control for intermediate erucic acid content. The B. juncea strain ‘CCWF 16’ was developed by hybridizing high‐erucic acid B. juncea cv.‘WF‐1’ with a ‘0’ erucic B. rapa cv.‘Candle’ followed by backcrossing with ‘WF‐1’ and half‐seed selection for low erucic acid in each backcross generation. This strategy resulted in substitution of the high erucic acid allele present in the A genome of B. juncea (AABB) by the zero erucic acid allele associated with ‘A’ genome of ‘Candle’. The intermediate erucic acid content in ‘CCWF 16’ was thus attributed to a gene present in the ‘BB’ genome. Experimental data clearly suggested that the gene (E₂) associated with the A genome had a greater contribution to the total erucic acid content in B. juncea than the gene (E₁) located on the B genome. This provided experimental evidence for a previous suggestion of unequal contributions of two dominant genes (E₁= 12%, E₂= 20%) to high erucic acid content in conventional digenomic Brassica species.     

Selection on pollen for linolenic acid content in rapeseed, Brassica napus L.

In order to enhance the economic value of edible rapeseed oil, an improvement of quality is necessary. Mutagenesis of rapeseed resulted in a low linolenic acid content and a low ‘linolenic acid (CIS: 3) level to linoleic acid (CIS: 2) level’ ratio, that is, the linoleic desaturation ratio (LDR), in the seeds of the Canadian variety ‘Stellar’. As an early breeding marker for low linolenic acid content, the pollen fatty acid composition was determined on 80 doubled haploid plants derived from a single F₁ hybrid obtained from a cross between ‘Stellar’ and a high CIS: 3 variety ‘Drakkar’. Fatty acid analysis on seed and pollen showed that the low CIS: 3 and the low LDR traits from the ‘Stellar’ variety were expressed in pollen and in seeds, and that a very close correlation (r = 0.88) existed between seed and pollen for these two traits. The inheritance of these traits is controlled by two major genes with additive effects, both in seed and pollen. However, minor genes also appeared to be expressed in pollen and seed. These genes may allow the production of plants with lower CIS: 3 levels than that of the low linolenic acid content parent. The efficiency of this new tool for early screening in breeding programmes is discussed.     

Identification of molecular markers associated with oleic and linolenic acid in spring oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

The quality of the oil derived from oilseed rape is determined by its fatty acid composition. Breeding oilseed rape for enhanced oil quality includes the development of cultivars with high oleic and low linolenic acid. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) techniques were investigated for the development of molecular markers for genes controlling oleic and/or linolenic acid. Markers that were identified were converted to sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers for use in breeding. Molecular markers associated with these two fatty acids were identified in a doubled haploid population derived from a cross between the oilseed rape lines TO99‐5318‐20, very high oleic (>79%) and very low linolenic acid (<2%) × DH12075, high oleic (68%) and higher linolenic acid (>7%). Eight RAPD markers were associated with oleic and linolenic acid contents. The RAPD marker UBC 2₈₃₀ accounted for 43% and 13% of the genetic variation for oleic and linolenic acid levels, respectively. The RAPD marker UBC 153₅₅₀ accounted for 19% of the genetic variation for linolenic acid. The UBC 2₈₃₀ fragment was converted to a SCAR marker. The markers identified in this study should be useful tools for the early generation selection of high oleic and low linolenic acid genotypes in oilseed rape breeding programmes.     

Inheritance of high palmitic acid content in the sunflower mutant CAS-12 and its relationship with high oleic content

CAS‐12 is a sunflower mutant with increased levels of palmitic (C16: 0 = 30%) and oleic (C18: 1 = 55%) acids in its seed oil, hence it has a reduced linoleic acid content (C18: 2 < 5%). This study was conducted to determine the inheritance of high C16: 0 content and its relationship with high C18: 1 content in CAS‐12. Reciprocal crosses involving CAS‐12, CAS‐5 (high C16: 0 content), HAOL‐9 (high C18: 1 content) and HA‐89 (standard fatty acid profile) were made. The F₁, F₂ and BC₁F₁ generations were obtained. The genetic control of the high C16: 0 trait in CAS‐12 was partially recessive and gametophytic. In all cases, this character segregated in the ratio 19: 38: 7 (low: intermediate: high C16: 0 content) in the F₂ generation. These results, together with the lack of segregation for C16: 0 content in crosses between CAS‐12 and CAS‐5, indicated that the genetic control of the high C16: 0 trait in CAS‐12 was similar to that in CAS‐5 in being controlled by partially recessive alleles (p1, p2, and p3) at three loci. Crosses between HA‐89 and CAS‐12, and HAOL‐9 and CAS‐5 (segregating for C16: 0 and C18: 1) demonstrated that the high C16: 0 and the high C18: 1 traits were independently inherited. However, C18: 1 segregation in these crosses exhibited reversal of dominance. Apparently, the low C18: 1 parental lines carried modifier genes causing the deviation.     

The accumulation pattern in developing seeds and its relation to fatty acid variation in soybean

Sixty soybean cultivars from Japan and the USA formed five maturity groups (IIb‐Vc) based on number of days from sowing to flowering and number of days from flowering to maturity. Highly significant intervarietal differences in fatty acid composition were found in all the maturity groups, especially in IIc. Stearic and oleic acids showed a larger variation than palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Principal component analysis suggested that the total variation of fatty acid composition depended mainly on the desaturation levels from oleic to linoleic acid. Three cultivars exhibiting unique fatty acid composition, together with a standard cultivar, were examined for the contents of the five fatty acids, as well as crude oil at eight seed‐filling stages. For all four cultivars, it was found that crude oil content increased sigmoidally with advancing filling stage, and that the accumulation patterns of palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids were similar to that of crude oil. However, the accumulation pattern of stearic acid was different from that of crude oil and divided the cultivars into two distinct groups. For oleic acid, only the cultivar ‘Aburamame’ showed a rapid increase in proportion with advancing filling stage, although not differing markedly in accumulated content from the other cultivars. These results indicate that analysing the accumulation patterns of fatty acids could explain the latent genetic variation in fatty acid composition of soybean seeds.     

In vitro selection for oleic and linoleic acid content in segregating populations of microspore derived embryos of Brassica napus

Microspore derived embryos (MDEs) in Brassica napuscontain large amounts of storage lipids which show a genotype specific fatty acid composition (FAC). One cotyledon of regenerating emblyos can be dissected at an early stage during the in vitro culture and used for fatty acid analysis. Thus, in breeding programmes to modify oil quality, only MDEs having the desired FAC need to be regenerated to plantlets and transferred to the greenhouse. In the present study the applicability of this method for the selection of a high oleic acid content and a low linoleic acid content in the seed oil has been tested by crossing a Brassica napus mutant line having a high oleic acid (C18:1) content in the seed oil (75%) with a wild type doubled haploid line with 62% C18:1 in the seed oil. Microspore culture was applied to the F1 plants. In total 59 MDEs were obtained, from which 31 were cultured with and 28 without 15μM abscisic acid for 3 weeksin vitro. One cotyledon was dissected under aspetic conditions and used for fatty acid analysis. The remaining part of the embryos were further regenerated to plantlets and transferred to the greenhouse to obtain seeds after self pollination. Seeds harvested from the doubled haploid lines in the greenhouse were used for fatty acid analysis and also for growing in the field. The abscisic acid treatment of the MDEs generally improved the correlations for linoleic and oleic acid between the MDEs and the seeds harvested in the greenhouse and the field. The correlations ranged from 0.68** to 0.81**.This indicates that selection for high oleic acid can be started already during an early stage of the in vitro culture. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and tissue culture on storage lipids in Brassica napus

The variation obtained in storage fatty acids induced by the procedures of tissue culture and transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens was investigated and compared in rapeseed, Brassica napus, cv. Hanna. An increased variation in the fatty acid profiles was noted after tissue culture and transformation compared with plants derived directly from seeds. In the second generation of rapeseed transformants, T₂, the content of oleic acid ranged from 39–72%, 12–31% for linoleic acid and 7–16% for linolenic acid. This could be compared with the oleic acid content in the T₂ generation of tissue culture-derived plants which ranged between 47–76% and in seed-derived material where oleic acid ranged between 55–69%.In the T₃ generation the ranges in transgenic seeds were decreased but still larger than in the seed derived plants. The range in transgenic plants was 49–64% for oleic acid, 20–28% for linoleic acid and 9–18% for linolenic acid. The most extreme individuals, both highest and lowest in the common fatty acids, were found in the group of transformed plants independent of generation. The total lipid content was also affected by the two treatments and seeds with the lowest and highest lipid content were both found among the transformed plants. In conclusion, care should be taken to use proper controls when performing transformation experiments in order to distinguish variation in the fatty acid profiles induced by the transformation procedure and tissue culture treatments from the changes due to transgenic expression. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Contrasting patterns of fatty acid composition and oil accumulation during fruit growth in several olive varieties and locations in a non-Mediterranean region

Olive growing has expanded considerably in the last few decades outside of the Mediterranean Basin to non-traditional regions in the Southern Hemisphere. When growing olive genotypes (i.e., varieties) outside of their area of origin, the importance of environmental factors such as temperature and genotype × environment interactions in determining olive oil production and oil quality has been suggested. In several Mediterranean varieties and one South American variety, we assessed the dynamics of fruit growth and oil accumulation along with the evolution of fatty acid composition at multiple locations over two growing seasons. Oleic acid content (%), the principal fatty acid present in olive oil, showed four contrasting patterns during fruit growth when modeled against thermal time from flowering using linear and bilinear regressions: (1) a sharp linear decrease for the varieties ‘Arauco’ and ‘Arbequina’; (2) a plateau followed by a late linear decrease of moderate slope for ‘Barnea’ and ‘Manzanilla Fina’; (3) a slow linear decrease for ‘Frantoio’; and (4) no decrease in ‘Coratina’. Linoleic acid (%) showed linear increases in ‘Arauco’ and ‘Arbequina’ that appear to be inversely related to the decreases in oleic acid, while bilinear patterns were found for many other varieties. Both the rates of fruit growth and of oil accumulation were more important in determining maximum fruit dry weight and oil concentration (%), respectively, than duration when expressed on a thermal time basis. Temperature during oil synthesis was negatively related to final oil concentration. Experiments under controlled conditions would greatly contribute to our understanding of how fruit growth as well as oil quantity and quality are influenced by environmental factors.     

Effects of minimal temperatures on low-linolenic rapeseed oil fatty-acid composition

Rapeseed oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3) and has a low content in saturated fatty acids. It is therefore considered as a very healthy edible oil. However, its high polyunsaturated fatty acid content makes it sensitive to temperature oxidation and therefore not suitable for deep-frying. Low-linolenic varieties with C18:3 content lower than 3.5% have been bred, but a large variability of alpha-linolenic acid content has been often observed in agricultural production of these new lines. Identifying factors affecting the fatty acid profile of oilseed rape should make it possible to produce rapeseed with alpha-linolenic acid content lower than 2.5% and therefore more suitable for frying and other uses in the food industry.Fatty acid composition is affected by environmental conditions, temperature being the main factor. Previous works showed that for conventional double-low rapeseed varieties, low minimal temperatures during the 60 days following the onset of flowering were related to higher alpha-linolenic acid contents.Monitoring the fatty acid profile in low-linolenic varieties from the beginning of seed filling to full maturity showed that alpha-linolenic acid synthesis occurred mainly between 550 and 850 degree-days (base 0 °C) after the onset of flowering, that is during the 20 first days of seed filling in Swiss conditions, i.e. 41–60 days after the onset of flowering. During this period, the determination coefficient of a second order regression between final alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3) content and minimal daily temperature was even better, with R² = 0.87. A significant positive relation was also found for the regression between minimal temperature and oleic acid (C18:1) content for the cultivar Splendor (R² = 0.77) but no correlation could evidence a relation between temperature and linoleic acid (C18:2) content.An easier way to show the relationship between linolenic acid content and minimal temperatures is based on the assumption that fatty acid desaturases regulated by temperature are active at low temperatures only. It consists in counting how many times during this period daily minimal temperature reaches a minimal threshold temperature of 13 °C. The relationship between final alpha-linolenic acid content and the number of days with minimal temperature below 13 °C is as good as the one presented before, i.e. with a determination coefficient, R² = 0.85. This simple model could be used to determine the growing areas with low linolenic acid content.     

Variation for agronomic characteristics in Crambe hispanica, a wild relative of Crambe abyssinica

Summary In order to assess the potential of Crambe hispanica, either in breeding programmes of C. abyssinica or as an oilseed crop in itself, 36 accessions of C. hispanica (29 of var. hispanica and 7 of var. glabrata) were grown in a greenhouse and evaluated for morphological characteristics, earliness, plant habit, seed characteristics and fatty acid composition. Four lines of C. abyssinica were included for reference. The 29 accessions of var. hispanica showed significant variation for all observed characteristics. Besides morphological characteristics, large variation was found for earliness, number of primary branches, seed yield, 1000 seed weight and volume, and linoleic, linolenic and erucic acid content. Morphological characteristics, earliness and plant habit did not show any high correlations with seed characteristics or fatty acid composition, except for seed hull (pericarp) mottling, which was related to a high oil and erucic acid content. The seven accessions of var. glabrata showed little variation. The large genetic variation in combination with promising figures for several characteristics, found in C. hispanica, may be useful in breeding programmes of the oilseed crop C. abyssinica, for which the available genetic variation is limited. Prospects of selection for high-erucic acid genotypes are discussed. Compared to C. abyssinica, both botanical varieties of C. hispanica are characterized by a cordate shape of the basal leaves, lack of seed retention and a lower DNA content. Plants of var. glabrata differed from var. hispanica in a sparsely hispid upper leaf surface and round stems and branches covered with a waxy layer. These clear differences and lack of success in intercrossing both varieties of C. hispanica strongly suggest that their taxonomic classification should be reconsidered.