Variation in Oil Content Among Mexican and Peruvian hirsuta Peanut Landraces and Virginia-Type hypogaea Lines1

Abstract

Abstract Many consumers in the U.S. claim to prefer low fat foods, and this has encouraged the search for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars with low or reduced oil content. A collector's note on the low oil content of PI 576616, a Peruvian-type peanut (A. hypogaea subsp. hypogaea var. hirsuta Köhler) prompted screening of similar landraces from Mexico. PI 576633, PI 576634, PI 576635, PI 576636, PI 576637, and PI 576638 were collected in 1993 and imported to the U.S. for evaluation. In 1994, 120plants per landrace were planted in the field, using Peruvian hirsuta PI 501296 as a control. In 1995, 24 selections from each Mexican landrace, 10 selections from PI 501296, and North Carolina State Univ. (NCSU) breeding line N91026E were planted. Based on oil analysis of the lines tested in 1995, 23 low oil and eight high oil selections were planted with four NCSU virginia-type breeding lines (N91026E, N92038, N94006L, and N94014L) used as controls in 1993. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used for oil content determination. From the 1994planting, selections from PI 576633 and PI 576638 had the lowest oil content. Five selections from PI 576634 and PI 576635 with low oil content also were identified. Earlier screening of 580 entries in the NCSU germplasm collection identified only three lines with similar oil contents. In 1995, significant (P ≤ 0.01) oil content differences were found between landraces collected from the states of Puebla and Guanajuato (482 vs. 504 g kg−1). Significant variation was found among Puebla landraces, but no differences were found among Guanajuato landraces. In 1996, significant year-to-year variation was found for some of the 31 selections. Low oil lines have been identified with the potential to be used as parents in breeding for reduced oil content.