High-quality Oil Research Articles

Effect of Variety and Maturity Index on the Physicochemical Parameters Related to Virgin Olive Oil from Wudu (China).

Physical parameters (i.e., extraction yield, oil content), chemicals (i.e., fatty acids, phenolics) and oxidative stability associated with virgin olive oil (VOO) from ten varieties in Wudu, China, were analyzed as a function of maturity index and variety by multivariate analysis models. Most of the analytical parameters were significantly affected by the variety and maturity index, and the former was more influential than the latter. Phenolics were the principal factor dividing the ten varieties into four groups. High phenolic levels were observed in the 'Koroneiki' group and 'Manzanilla' group, but the oil extractability index differentiated between them, being the highest and lowest, respectively. The 'Koroneiki' group demonstrated high oil productivity and oil quality, which was worthy of promotion in large-scale cultivation. High amounts of linoleic enhanced the VOO health benefits of 'Ascolana tenera, Arbequina and Zhongshan24' group, but brought the risk of shortening the shelf-life. The 'Ulliri Bardhe, Empeltre, Ezhi8, Yuntai14 and Picual' group clustered for the higher relative value of oleic acid. The maturity index had significant negative effects on the content of total phenolics, oleacein, oleocanthal, and oleic acid, but had a positive effect on the extractability index, which suggested that varieties with low phenolics and oleic acid levels should be harvested early.

Assessment of Novel Genetic Diversity Induced by Mutagenesis and Estimation of Genetic Parameters in Sesame M4 Mutant Lines

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an ancient oilseed, aromatic, and medicinal crop widely used for its high-quality oil and seeds. The available genetic diversity in Morocco is too limited; thus, a mutagenesis breeding program was adopted. This study was carried out to evaluate the novel variability induced and observed in 11 M4 mutant lines and to estimate some valuable genetic parameters. The experiment was conducted in two different environments using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Phenological, morphological, and agronomic traits were recorded. To estimate the effect of genotype, environment, and their interaction, ANOVA and planned contrast analyses were performed. To examine relatedness among genotypes, cluster analysis was performed. Significant differences among mutants and between parent cultivars and their respective mutant lines were observed. Genetic parameters such as genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic (PCV) coefficients of variation, broad-sense heritability (H2 b.s), genetic advance (GA), and genetic advance over the mean (GAM) were high in most traits. Highly productive mutants, ‘US2-1’ and ‘US1-2’, were observed, exhibiting the highest number of capsules per plant and seed yield ever reported. Additionally, there are other promising mutants with early flowering, early maturity, and a reduced height of the first capsule. This suggests that mutagenesis can be successfully applied to develop high-yielding sesame varieties along with other improved phenological and agromorphological traits. All these mutant lines can be used as promising germplasm to develop competitive sesame cultivars to meet the increasing demand for sesame oil and seeds in the actual context of climate change.

Deep neural network for oil spill detection using Sentinel-1 data: application to Egyptian coastal regions

Building an oil spill segmentation model is very challenging because of the limited available information on oil spill accidents. Therefore, this paper proposes a custom data generator based on Segmentation Network (Seg-Net) model implemented in Conditional Generative Adversarial Network (CGAN). The proposed model is trained for oil spill segmentation using 50 Sentinal-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. The proposed model employs a modified Seg-Net as a generator to produce high-quality oil spills’ images and a Patch-GAN as discriminator. This architecture results in a significant improvement of the final oil segmentation results, in comparison with Seg-Net model, while using relatively small training dataset. For performance assessment, the paper presents the oil spills segmentation results of four suggested models using Sentinel-1 SAR images. The presented models are U-Net, Seg-Net, CGAN, and a Seg-Net-based CGAN the performance assessment reveals that the proposed model produces oil spill segmentation images with an average accuracy of 99.04%, Intersection over Union (IoU) index of 96.59%, and a precision of 85.24%. In addition, the training time required for the proposed model is 3 h 20 min per 50 epochs, while it is nearly 10 h and 55 min for training a CGAN model.

Extraction, Isolation of Bioactive Compounds and Therapeutic Potential of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is a herbaceous annual plant of the Cruciferous family, the Cabbage genus. This oilseed crop is widely used in many areas of industry and agriculture. High-quality oil obtained from rapeseed can be found in many industrial food products. To date, extracts with a high content of biologically active substances are obtained from rapeseed using modern extraction methods. Brassica napus L. seeds contain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, vitamins, glucosinolates and microelements. The data in this review show that rapeseed biocompounds have therapeutic effects in the treatment of various types of diseases. Some studies indicate that rapeseed can be used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, hypoglycemic and anticancer agent. In the pharmaceutical industry, using rapeseed as an active ingredient may help to develop new forms drugs with wide range of therapeutic effects. This review focuses on aspects of the extraction of biocompounds from rapeseed and the study of its pharmacological properties.

Prediction of sunflower grain yield under normal and salinity stress by RBF, MLP and, CNN models

Sunflower is one of the most valuable oilseeds in the world due to its high-quality oil and wide adaptation to climatic and soil conditions. Salinity is one of the most harmful environmental stresses and severely reduces the yield of crops. In the present study, the effectiveness of multiple regression techniques, convolutional neural network (CNN), and artificial neural network (ANN) are investigated using regression results as input variables in the estimation of sunflower grain yield under normal and salinity conditions, separately. Then the most important parameters identified in two conditions (head diameter, plant height, and weight of five seeds) were used in the CNN model to predict grain yield for the time when we do not know the growth conditions of the plant. The fitted model had R 2 = 0.914, MAPE = 4.95, MAE = 0.163, and RMSE = 1.699. The results showed that the CNN model provides the best estimation for sunflower grain yield compared to the ANN and multiple regression models. Sensitivity analysis showed that head diameter was the most effective trait on sunflower seed yield. Yield estimation with head diameter, identified as the most influential parameter, with the CNN model produced acceptable performance and accuracy. • The results showed that the CNN model provides the best estimation for sunflower grain yield compared to the ANN and MLR. • Sensitivity analysis showed that head diameter was the most effective trait on sunflower seed yield.

Selected Commodity Characteristics of Essential Oils Used for Healing Purposes

Abstract The use of an essential oil with a therapeutic purpose depends on many conditions. First of all, only substances whose quality meets the guidelines of the modern, current Polish standard PN-EN ISO 9235: 2021-12 (ICS 71.100.60 - Essential oils) and which are classified as essential oils can be used in aromatherapy, i.e. for therapeutic purposes. A very important role in obtaining essential oils of high therapeutic quality is played by the place and method of cultivation of the plant from which the oil is extracted, safety in maintaining the purity of the essential oil during its extraction, and compliance with the special requirement to label the essential oil package. Fragrance, synthetic and natural oils do not meet these requirements and cannot be used for therapeutic purposes.

A semi-industrial reactor for producing biodiesel from waste cooking oil

This work offers a pilot plant unit designed to produce biodiesel efficiently from waste cooking oil (WCO). The quality of biodiesel from the semi-industrial plant met American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards with a maximum yield of 71.56%. Many biodiesel samples were tested, but the highest yield was 71.56%, achieved with a mixing speed of 200 rpm, 20% methanol/oil ratio, reaction time of 90 min, reaction temperature of 70 °C, and catalyst concentration of 1%. The fatty acids in WCO were palmitic, oleic, and linoleic, 5.13, 37.22 and 7.66%, but for biodiesel they were 5.1, 26.16 and 49.51%, respectively. Thermal gravimetric analysis and Thin-layer chromatography confirmed the formation of biodiesel. The ester is in the range of 1741:2823 cm−1, which is related to the stretching band of C = O. The physicochemical properties agreed with ASTM standards. The biodiesel yield is significantly affected by the quality of the used WCO. The results indicate the significant effect of purity, quality, cooking temperature and cooking time of the used oil on biodiesel yield. A high yield of 94.5% was obtained for high-quality oil that was slightly heated for no cooking time. The designed pilot plant is efficient and reliable at producing biodiesel from WCO.

Effects of the properties of FCCS on the removing of catalyst particles from FCCS under a DC electrostatic field

Catalytic cracking is the main method to lighten heavy crude oil, this process can produce high quality oil products such as gasoline and diesel, but also produces a large amount of fluid catalytic cracking slurry (FCCS). The catalyst particles in FCCS seriously restrict the secondary processing of FCCS and need to be removed, and the properties of FCCS is an important factor that affects the removal efficiency of the catalyst particles. Based on the “effective contact point” model proposed by the research group, this study further proposed the “electrostatic separation efficiency calculation” model. In this model, since FCCS has a uniform distribution of catalyst particles, the ratio of the number of catalyst particles can be expressed as the ratio of area to achieve the calculation of separation efficiency. Then the catalyst removal efficiency under different viscosity was analyzed, thus verifying the feasibility of this model. The effects of temperature and mass ratio of four components on the viscosity of FCCS were investigated respectively, then the effects of temperature and four components’ mass ratio on the electrostatic separation can be directly converted into the effect of viscosity on the electrostatic separation efficiency. All the results show the electrostatic separation efficiency decreases with increasing viscosity, and the best separation temperature is 120 °C.

Hydraulic pressing optimization and physicochemical characterization of Jatropha curcas seed oil

<em>Jatropha curcas</em> seed oil can be used for numerous purposes including fuel, soap and cosmetics. Better quality oil is obtained by cold pressing, the effectiveness of which is unfortunately limited by a low extraction rate. The objective of this study was to optimize cold hydraulic extraction parameters of <em>Jatropha curcas</em> seed oil by increasing the oil recovery and characterising the extracted oil. The key extraction parameters (dwell time, pressure, compression speed, and press cage charge) were determined using a laboratory hydraulic press. The results show that the unhulled and dehulled seeds contained 5.1 and 2.9% moisture, as well as 33.6 and 51.7% fat, respectively. Under the optimal operating conditions and at ambient temperature (25 °C), the oil recovery from whole (crushed) material was 38.2 (42.5)% unhulled seeds and 71.3 (69.5)% dehulled seeds. The physicochemical characteristics of cold-extracted Jatropha oil were 10ppm phosphorus, 1.9 ppm iron, 0.0 ppm copper, 0.15% water-volatile matter, 0.918 (15 °C) density, and 37.72 cSt (37.8 °C) kinematic viscosity, respectively. In conclusion, the optimized cold hydraulic extraction of jatropha seed oil leads to high oil recovery and good oil quality suitable for industrial applications.

Up-to-date technologies of obtaining high-quality oils for automobile vehicles

The production of high-quality engine oils using the base oils of II and III groups is carried out according to API classification and foreign pocket of additives. III+ group oils of Shell are produced on Shell Pure Plus technology. These are ecological, innovative, and completely synthetic Shell Helix Ultra (5W-40), Shell 0W-20 oils enabling the reduction of fuel consumption and friction factor as well. The paper presents the major stages of obtaining oils according to the Shell Pure Plus (GTL – gas to liquid) technology. It is shown that the base oils of III group with a viscosity index 170 are obtained in three stages. A plant has been opened in Torzhok for the production of various sorts of high-quality engine and hydraulic oils.

Production of Protein Concentrates from Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata and Acrocomia totai) Kernels by Sieve Fractionation.

Macauba palm fruits (Acrocomia aculeata and Acrocomia totai) are emerging as sources of high-quality oils from their pulp and kernels. The protein-rich macauba kernel meal (MKM) left after oil extraction remains undervalued, mainly due to the lack of suitable deoiling parameters and integrated protein recovery methods. Therefore, the present study aimed to produce protein concentrates from MKM using sieve fractionation. The deoiling parameters, comprising pressing, milling, and solvent extraction, were improved in terms of MKM functionality. The combination of hydraulic pressing, milling to 1 mm, and the hexane extraction of A. aculeata kernels resulted in MKM with the highest protein solubility (77.1%), emulsifying activity index (181 m2/g protein), and emulsion stability (149 min). After sieve fractionation (cut size of 62 µm), this meal yielded a protein concentrate with a protein content of 65.6%, representing a 74.1% protein enrichment compared to the initial MKM. This protein concentrate showed a reduced gelling concentration from 8 to 6%, and an increased emulsion stability from 149 to 345 min, in comparison to the MKM before sieving. Therefore, sieve fractionation after improved deoiling allows for the simple, cheap, and environmentally friendly recovery of MKM proteins, highlighting the potential of macauba kernels as a new source of protein.

Typical Characterization of Commercial Camellia Oil Products Using Different Processing Techniques: Triacylglycerol Profile, Bioactive Compounds, Oxidative Stability, Antioxidant Activity and Volatile Compounds.

The processing technique is one of the key factors affecting the quality of camellia oil. In this study, camellia oils were obtained using four different processing techniques (cold-pressed, roast-pressed, fresh-pressed, and refined), and their triacylglycerols (TAGs) profile, bioactive compound (tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols) level, oxidative stability, and volatile compounds were analyzed and compared. To further identify characteristic components in four camellia oil products, the TAG profile was analyzed using UPLC-QTOF-MSE. Five characteristic markers were identified, including OOO (m/z 902.8151), POL (m/z 874.7850), SOO (m/z 904.8296), PPL (m/z 848.7693), PPS (m/z 852.7987). Regarding the bioactive compound level and antioxidant capacity, the fresh-pressed technique provided higher α-tocopherols (143.15 mg/kg), β-sitosterol (93.20 mg/kg), squalene (102.08 mg/kg), and polyphenols (35.38 mg/kg) and showed stronger overall oxidation stability and antioxidant capacity. Moreover, a total of 65 volatile compounds were detected and identified in four camellia oil products, namely esters (23), aldehydes (19), acids (8), hydrocarbons (3), ketones (3), and others (9), among which pressed oil was dominated by aldehydes, acid, and esters, while refined oil had few aroma components. This study provided a comprehensive comparative perspective for revealing the significant influence of the processing technique on the camellia oil quality and its significance for producing camellia oil of high quality and with high nutritional value.

A novel wrinkled-leaf sesame mutant as a potential edible leafy vegetable rich in nutrients

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an ancient and globally important oil crop in the tropic and subtropic areas. Apart from being a good source of high-quality oil, sesame also represents a new source of edible leafy vegetables. However, data regarding the nutritional composition of the sesame leaves, especially their phytonutrient composition, are scarce. Previously we have developed a sesame mutant JQA with curly, wide, and thick leaves that are potentially used as a vegetable. The objective of this work was to gauge the nutrient contents in leaves of the JQA mutant by colorimetry methods. The sesame mutant JQA and its wild-type counterpart JQB were grown in the field, and leaf samples were collected at the flowering stage. Results showed that the sesame wrinkled leaves of JQA are a rich source of crude oil (5.33–6.38%), crude protein (3.14%), amino acids (> 18.6 mg/g), crude fiber (> 0.36%), cellulose or hemicellulose (> 21.4 mg/g), sugars (> 12.5 mg/g), vitamins, and flavones (> 63.2 mg/g). The wrinkled sesame leaves were high in unsaturated acid (32.0 mg/g), calcium (18.5 mg/g), potassium (16.1 mg/g), as well as vitamin B6 (24.5 mg/g), B2 (14.4 mg/g), C (1.7 mg/g) and D (1.3 mg/g) compared to other common green leafy vegetables. The fresh leaves had a mean total flavone content of 65.7 mg/g and can be consumed as fresh vegetables or preserved in a dry state. Collectively, the nutritional composition of the wrinkled leaf mutant JQA was ideal and thus had high RDIs (recommended daily intakes), suggesting that the wrinkled leaves are a rich source of nutrients and therefore suitable to be consumed as a new edible green vegetable.

Discovering favorable genes, QTLs, and genotypes as a genetic resource for sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) improvement.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an ancient diploid oilseed crop with high oil content, quality protein, and antioxidant characteristics that is produced in many countries worldwide. The genes, QTLs, and genetic resources of sesame are utilized by sesame researchers and growers. Researchers have identified the many useful traits of this crop, which are available on different platforms. The genes, genotypes, QTLs, and other genetic diversity data of sesame have been collected and stored in more than nine genomic resources, and five sesame crop marker databases are available online. However, data on phenotypic and genotypic variability, which would contribute to sesame improvements, are limited and not yet accessible. The present study comprehensively reviewed more than 110 original published research papers and scientifically incorporated the results. The candidate genes, genotypes, and QTLs of significantly important traits of sesame were identified. Genetic resources related to grain yield and yield component traits, oil content and quality, drought tolerance, salt tolerance, waterlogging resistance, disease resistance, mineral nutrient, capsule shattering resistance, and other agronomic important traits of sesame were studied. Numerous candidate genotypes, genes, QTLs, and alleles associated with those traits were summarized and discovered. The chromosome regions and linkage groups, maps associated with the best traits, and candidate genes were also included. The variability presented in this paper combined with sesame genetic information will help inform further sesame improvement.

Sequence characterization and temporal expression analysis of different SADs and FAD2-2 genes in two Iranian olive cultivars

Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturases (SADs) and fatty acid desaturases (FADs) are the main genes catalyzing the first and the second desaturation steps throughout the biosynthesis of oleic and linoleic acids, respectively, hence, the major determinants of oil quality and composition. To uncover the molecular mechanisms behind differential oil content and composition in olive fruit, the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of FAD2-2 and three SAD genes were characterized in 'Mari' and 'Shengeh' as two Iranian olive cultivars displaying high contrasting oil composition. In addition, the expression levels of these genes were screened at different time points during fruit development and ripening. Despite detection of a number of nucleotide sequence variations in four characterized genes, the results of amino acid analyses have shown most of them were synonymous and caused no differences at protein level. However, some of the single nucleotide variations caused non cognate amino acid substitution indicating possible conformational changes in the resultant peptide. In particular, regarding OeFAD2-2, a nonsynonymous SNP was detected in 'Shengeh' compared with other olive's FAD2-2 causing an amino acid lysine residue substitution for a glutamic acid, as well as a nonsynonymous substitution in 'Mari' (threonine to serine). The in silico prediction of three-dimensional structure of FAD2-2 revealed these substitutions may lead to structural changes in the final protein structure and function, hence, may contribute to the higher activity of FAD2-2 protein in mesocarp of 'Shengeh' than 'Mari' cultivars. According to results obtained from sequence analysis of oil biosynthesis genes, two Iranian olive cultivars were the most similar and had high sequence differences with international varieties. Results of temporal transcript abundance revealed that OeSAD2 had higher expression in 'Mari' (the high quality oil cultivar) than 'Shengeh' during the critical period of oil biosynthesis. Results of our data corroborates the previous records suggesting that OeSAD2 as the most pronounced isoform of stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturases responsible for oleic acid biosynthesis in olive mesocarp. In addition our results also suggest that OeSAD3 may have contributed to the higher oil quality of 'Mari' than 'Shengeh'. Based on our results, OeSAD2 and OeFAD2-2 are suggested as the possible targets for engineering fatty acid composition to help pyramid genes to improve quality and quantity of olive oil and creating high quality olive cultivars.

Optimized catalytic pyrolysis of refinery waste sludge to yield clean high quality oil products

The production of clean oil products from oily waste can help the oil industry to become more efficient and sustainable. A novel technique is developed that takes waste refinery oily sludge (ROS) as feedstock to produce a clean high quality oil product. The cost of the feedstock supply is very low as ROS is a waste product that is costly to dispose of with potential adverse consequences for the ecosystem if improperly discarded. The novel process involves a two-stage tubular fixed-bed reactor capable of converting the ROS into a clean oil product and simultaneously upgrade its quality. To systematically optimize the process variables, the response surface methodology (RSM) is applied. A meticulous mathematical model with an error of less than 5% estimates the optimum point for achieving the maximum product yield. The upgrading process involves a specifically synthesized, highly selective metal (Ni/Co/Mo) loaded zeolite catalysts. The synthesized catalysts are carefully characterized using XRD, FTIR, ICP, and SEM analysis. The detailed compositions of the upgraded products are also characterized using GC–MS CHNS/O elemental, and GC techniques. Among the synthesized catalysts, the 3 wt% Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited superior performance in reducing unfavorable oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen contents in the oil products. Notably, the higher heating value of the upgraded product generated with nickel-zeolite catalysts (Ni/HZSM-5) is 44.24 MJ/kg which is in the range of naturally occurring crude oils (typically 42 to 47 MJ/kg). This feature highlights the quality and value of the final product.

Olive Fruit Selection through AI Algorithms and RGB Imaging.

(1) Background: Extra virgin olive oil production is strictly influenced by the quality of fruits. The optical selection allows for obtaining high quality oils starting from batches with different qualitative characteristics. This study aims to test a CNN algorithm in order to assess its potential for olive classification into several quality classes for industrial purposes, specifically its potential integration and sorting performance evaluation. (2) Methods: The acquired samples were all subjected to visual analysis by a trained operator for the distinction of the products in five classes related to the state of external veraison and the presence of visible defects. The olive samples were placed at a regular distance and in a fixed position on a conveyor belt that moved at a constant speed of 1 cm/s. The images of the olives were taken every 15 s with a compact industrial RGB camera mounted on the main frame in aluminum to allow overlapping of the images, and to avoid loss of information. (3) Results: The modelling approaches used, all based on AI techniques, showed excellent results for both RGB datasets. (4) Conclusions: The presented approach regarding the qualitative discrimination of olive fruits shows its potential for both sorting machine performance evaluation and for future implementation on machines used for industrial sorting processes.

Identification and Functional Characterization of Acyl-ACP Thioesterases B (GhFatBs) Responsible for Palmitic Acid Accumulation in Cotton Seeds.

In spite of increasing use in the food industry, high relative levels of palmitic acid (C16:0) in cottonseed oil imposes harmful effects on human health when overconsumed in the diet. The limited understanding of the mechanism in controlling fatty acid composition has become a significant obstacle for breeding novel cotton varieties with high-quality oil. Fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterase B (FatBs) are a group of enzymes which prefer to hydrolyze the thioester bond from saturated acyl-ACPs, thus playing key roles in controlling the accumulation of saturated fatty acids. However, FatB members and their roles in cotton are largely unknown. In this study, a genome-wide characterization of FatB members was performed in allotetraploid upland cotton, aiming to explore the GhFatBs responsible for high accumulations of C16:0 in cotton seeds. A total of 14 GhFatB genes with uneven distribution on chromosomes were identified from an upland cotton genome and grouped into seven subfamilies through phylogenetic analysis. The six key amino acid residues (Ala, Trys, Ile, Met, Arg and Try) responsible for substrate preference were identified in the N-terminal acyl binding pocket of GhFatBs. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression profiles of GhFatB genes varied in multiple cotton tissues, with eight GhFatBs (GhA/D-FatB3, GhA/D-FatB4, GhA/D-FatB5, and GhA/D-FatB7) having high expression levels in developing seeds. In particular, expression patterns of GhA-FatB3 and GhD-FatB4 were positively correlated with the dynamic accumulation of C16:0 during cotton seed development. Furthermore, heterologous overexpression assay of either GhA-FatB3 or GhD-FatB4 demonstrated that these two GhFatBs had a high substrate preference to 16:0-ACP, thus contributing greatly to the enrichment of palmitic acid in the tested tissues. Taken together, these findings increase our understanding on fatty acid accumulation and regulation mechanisms in plant seeds. GhFatBs, especially GhA-FatB3 and GhD-FatB4, could be molecular targets for genetic modification to reduce palmitic acid content or to optimize fatty acid profiles in cotton and other oil crops required for the sustainable production of healthy edible oil.

Non-traditional fertilizers to optimize winter rape nutrition

The relevance of the topic is due to the need to optimize the nutrition of winter rape (Brassica napus L.), including the use of non-traditional fertilizers, taking into account the limited amount of low-cost mineral fats. The purpose of the research was to study the influence of a mixture of production by-products (wood ash and digestate) on the yield and quality of winter rapeseed. Field experiments were conducted at the "Peterlauki" research farm (Latvia). In agriculture, both wood ash and biomass digestate are used separately as materials for liming and fertilizers, while a high-quality fertilizer can be obtained from their mixture. The authors evaluated mixtures of cattle manure digestate and wood ash in different ratios. Analyzes from the groups of systemic, statistical and comparative were used. The next research methods are applied: generally accepted in crop production, field and laboratory - to clarify the interaction of the object of research with agrotechnical and natural abiotic factors; calculated and weighted - to determine the productivity of crops; calculation and comparison; mathematical and statistical (dispersion) - in order to estimate the probability of research results. It was determined that, using mixtures of wood ash and digestate, it is possible to obtain appropriate crops of winter rapeseed without the use of mineral fertilizers. A higher yield of this crop - 2.45 t/ha was obtained in cases where fertilizer rates of 10 t/ha were used for fertilization. Winter rape seeds had a higher oil content in variants with the use of a fertilized mixture of 5 t/ha, but without ammonium nitrate. The bulk weight (nature) of winter rapeseed in the investigated variants slightly exceeded 670 g/l. The scientific novelty is that the influence of the mixture of digestate and wood ash on productivity, including the oiliness of winter rapeseed, was evaluated. The practical value lies in the improvement of the technology of cultivation of the researched culture by means of a correctly selected mixture to optimize nutrition and obtain high-quality oil

Oleosin Expression Patterns and Size of Oil Bodies as a Factor in Determining Oil Content in Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) Genotypes

The climate crisis and the Ukraine war have shown the vulnerability of various crop commodities. One of those badly affected is cooking oil, leading to a shortage in several countries. This coupled with the need for healthier cooking oil, increases proportionally with the world population and has resulted in escalated cooking oil prices. Thus, continued evaluation of alternative oil crops that can do well in marginal lands becomes a vital practice to undertake. Safflower is one of the marginalized oil crops with high-quality oil containing essential fatty acids beneficial to human health. Screening safflower genotypes for oil content is critical for its breeding and adoption in non-native areas. Therefore, this study delineates the relationship between oleosin genes and oil bodies in regulating the oil content of safflower seeds. Oleosin genes and oil bodies from the seeds of five safflower genotypes were isolated and quantified using qPCR and fluorescence microscope respectively, and evaluated against the seed oil content. The results showed an inverse relationship where smaller oil bodies were displayed by genotypes with high oil content. A high relative expression of oleosin genes was observed in genotypes with high oil content (Kenya-9819 and Gila). Of the eight Ctoleosin genes that were studied, it was observed that Ctoleosin genes (1, 4, 6, 7, and 8) were highly reliable in characterizing safflower genotypes based on the oil content. Kenya-9819 and Gila genotypes were found to have high oil potential and this was confirmed by a higher accumulation of the oleosin gene. A high correlation coefficient between oleosin, oil content, and oil body was also observed in this study. The findings suggest that selected oleosin genes and oil bodies are important traits to consider when characterizing oil seed crops for oil content.