Oleaginous Plant Research Articles

Rapeseed—An Important Oleaginous Plant in the Oil Industry and the Resulting Meal a Valuable Source of Bioactive Compounds

Rapeseeds (Brassica napus), cultivated widely as a source of oil, generate substantial by-products after oil extraction. Unfortunately, rapeseed meal is considered a waste product and as such is discharged into environment as compost or used as animal feed. However, this meal is rich in bioactive compounds (proteins, minerals, fibers and polyphenols), indicating its potential for the development of value-added products. The meal shows a higher content of minerals, total dietary fibers and proteins. Rapeseed meal contains a proportion of oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, predominately linoleic and α-linolenic acid. The amino acid proportion in the meal is higher than that in the seeds and contains essential amino acids, predominately valine. The analyses show the presence of valuable components in the cake, which makes it suitable for use in obtaining value-added products.

Contrast between Brazil and other countries in nutraceutical components of Camelina sativa grains

Camelina sativa, also known as false flax, is a species can be cultivated in a variety of climates, seasons and soil types, due to its short development cycle and tolerance to drought and low temperatures. In the composition of its grains, it presents a high amount of oil and rich in unsaturated fatty acids. In view of this, the objective of this work was to compare the composition of the nutraceutical components of Camelina sativa L. grains cultivated in Brazil and countries in Europe, Asia and North America. About 20 kg of grains were collected and then a homogeneous sample of 1kg of grains was cleaned to perform the centesimal composition of the grains. Afterwards, a search for information was carried out on the cultivation of Camelina sativa L. in other countries and the collection of information on the centesimal composition of the grains of this oleaginous plant. The collection of information was based on obtaining published scientific articles on the nutraceutical composition of Camelina sativa in regions of Europe, Asia and North America. Brazil presents a promising environment for the cultivation of Camelina sativa, with superior performance for the content of stearic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and palmitic acid. The fatty acids profile decreased with the reduction of the minimum air temperature. The mineral material, palmitic acid and linolenic acid are positively correlated.

Exploration of the Lipid Profile of Edible Oleaginous Microgreens by Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics.

The spreading awareness of the health benefits associated with the consumption of plant-based foods is fueling the market of innovative vegetable products, including microgreens, recognized as a promising source of bioactive compounds. To evaluate the potential of oleaginous plant microgreens as a source of bioactive fatty acids, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was exploited to characterize the total fatty acid content of five microgreens, namely, chia, flax, soy, sunflower, and rapeseed (canola). Chia and flax microgreens appeared as interesting sources of α-linolenic acid (ALA), with total concentrations of 2.6 and 2.9 g/100 g of dried weight (DW), respectively. Based on these amounts, approximately 15% of the ALA daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority can be provided by 100 g of the corresponding fresh products. Flow injection analysis with high-resolution Fourier transform single and tandem mass spectrometry enabled a semi-quantitative profiling of triacylglycerols (TGs) and sterol esters (SEs) in the examined microgreen crops, confirming their role as additional sources of fatty acids like ALA and linoleic acid (LA), along with glycerophospholipids. The highest amounts of TGs and SEs were observed in rapeseed and sunflower microgreens (ca. 50 and 4-5 μmol/g of DW, respectively), followed by flax (ca. 20 and 3 μmol/g DW). TG 54:9, 54:8, and 54:7 prevailed in the case of flax and chia, whereas TG 54:3, 54:4, and 54:5 were the most abundant TGs in the case of rapeseed. β-Sitosteryl linoleate and linolenate were generally prevailing in the SE profiles, although campesteryl oleate, linoleate, and linolenate exhibited a comparable amount in the case of rapeseed microgreens.

Physicochemical Properties of Oil of Polygala multiflora Poir. Grown in Burkina Faso

Polygala multiflora is an important source of oil that needs to be valorized. This study aimed to investigate the potential of P. multiflora as an oleaginous plant. The physical and chemical properties of oil extracted from P. multiflora seeds were analyzed according to standard methods. The main physical parameters were yield of oil (43.25 ± 2.3%), relative density (0.912 ± 0.031), melting point (2.42±0.6°C), and refraction index (1.45±0.02), yellow light color. Chemical characteristics were: free fatty acids (1.97±0.2 % ac. Oleic), acidity index (6.93±0.14 mg KOH/g), saponification index (186.3±9.31mg KOH/g), iodine index (40.37±0.5 gI2/100g), and peroxide index (1.58±0.05 Meq O2/kg). Overall, P. multiflora seed oil has shown properties in line with standards for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical use.

Emulsion from the oil of the seed of Euterpe oleracea (açaí): study of activity and safety against Aedes aegypti

Euterpe oleracea is an oleaginous plant found in the Amazon, the oil from this seed is a promising raw material for various industries. Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue, whose vetora is the Aedes aegypti, are public health problems and their main form of control is the use of insecticides. The objetive was to carry out the physical-chemical characterization of the oil from the assai seed and to evaluate its activity in the face of the Aedes aegypti. Physico-chemical characterization, FTIR, thermal analysis and determination of fatty acids by CG of oil, larvicide activity and emulsion pupicide containing oil from the seed of E. oleracea front Aedes aegypti and acute toxicity of emulsion were performed. The physical and chemical parameters are within the expected range in the literature. The oil was thermally stable up to 304.48 °C, with a melting peak of 25.22 °C. The fatty acid profile averaged 72% unsaturated fatty acids. Infrared spectroscopy showed strains referring to the general structure of the triglyceride. Aedes aegypti larvicide and pupicidal activity were observed and was not considered toxic to mammals after the acute toxicity test.

Shift in the rhizosphere soil fungal community associated with root rot infection of Plukenetia volubilis Linneo caused by Fusarium and Rhizopus species.

Plukenetia volubilis Linneo is an oleaginous plant belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Due to its seeds containing a high content of edible oil and rich in vitamins, P. volubilis is cultivated as an economical plantworldwide. However, the cultivation and growth of P. volubilis is challenged by phytopathogen invasion leading to production loss. In the current study, we tested the pathogenicity of fungal pathogens isolated from root rot infected P. volubilis plant tissues by inoculating them into healthy P. volubilis seedlings. Metagenomic sequencing was used to assess the shift in the fungal community of P. volubilis rhizosphere soil after root rot infection. Four Fusarium isolates and two Rhizopus isolates were found to be root rot causative agents of P. volubilis as they induced typical root rot symptoms in healthy seedlings. The metagenomic sequencing data showed that root rot infection altered the rhizosphere fungal community. In root rot infected soil, the richness and diversity indices increased or decreased depending on pathogens. The four most abundant phyla across all samples were Ascomycota, Glomeromycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. In infected soil, the relative abundance of each phylum increased or decreased depending on the pathogen and functional taxonomic classification. Based on our results, we concluded that Fusarium and Rhizopus species cause root rot infection of P. volubilis. In root rot infected P. volubilis, the shift in the rhizosphere fungal community was pathogen-dependent. These findings may serve as a key point for a future study on the biocontrol of root rot of P. volubilis.

Anti-Arthritis Effect of Ethanol Extract of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Leaves Against Complete Freund's Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis Model in Mice.

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) is a well-known oleaginous plant used as food source and traditional medicine by indigenous people for a long time. This study was conducted to evaluate anti-arthritis effect of ethanol extract of Sacha inchi leaves and provide scientific evidence to develop the new anti-arthritis remedy from Sacha inchi. Rheumatoid arthritis model was established by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into right hind footpads of mice and three doses of ethanol extract of Sacha inchi leaves (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight) were used for treatment. The severity of arthritis was evaluated by measuring the ankle diameter and arthritic score, hematological and biochemical parameters (erythrocytes, leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor). The pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) and the histology change of joint were also examined. All three doses of extracts significantly alleviated ankle diameter and arthritic score. Furthermore, the extracts could ameliorate the alternation of inflammatory cytokines as well histological features of CFA-induced mice. The efficacy of extract dose of 300 mg/kg body weight is comparable with reference drug (Mobic, 0.2 mg/kg body weight). This study indicates Sacha inchi leaf extract as the promising remedy for treatment of arthritis.

Impacts of intercropping on the major insect pests of <i>Jatropha curcas L.</i> in south of Benin

Jatropha curcas is an oleaginous plant whose seed yield is low. The present study aimed at evaluating is pests associated with J. curcas. In regards to the densities, Denticera near divisella density was obtained 0.85 larvae per plant in J. curcas in sole farming and 0.70, 0.61, 0.85 larvae respectively when intercropped with casava, maize and cowpea. When J. curcas was intercropped with cassava Stomphastis thraustica was the most encountered species with a density of 1.28 larvae per plant while 0.61 larvae density was encountered for intercropped with maize and 0.27 larvae density with cowpea against 0.43 larvae in mono culture. For J. curcas with maize, Aulacophora africana was the most abundant species with a density of 0.47 adult per plant. In the case of J. curcas with cowpea. D. nr divisella had the highest density of 0.85 larvae per plant. It was also shown that the grain yield of J. curcas depends of intercrop. The yields were from 591.75 ± 109.25kg / ha; 431.75 ± 92.50kg / ha; 252.50 ± 51.50kg / ha; 89.50 ± 43.00kg/ha respectively in pure farming of J. curcas, Jatropha intercropped with maize, cowpea or cassava respectively. Therefore, it is important to choose intercropping to reduce the density of pests in Jatropha crop.

Weed Control and Selectivity of Four Herbicides Applied in Pre-Emergence on Two Sunflower Cultivars

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an oleaginous plant that shows high suitability for cultivation in Brazil. However, the performance of the crop is influenced by factors such as weed interference, mainly because of the few selective herbicide options. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate weed control and selectivity of four pre-emergent herbicides applied to two sunflower cultivars in sandy and clayey soils. Two field experiments were conducted in a randomized block design with a 2 × 6 factorial scheme, two cultivars (CF 101 and M 734) and six treatments with S-metolachlor (1920 g a.i. ha−1), sulfentrazone (150 g a.i. ha−1), flumioxazin (40 g a.i. ha−1), and trifluralin (1780 g a.i. ha−1) and two controls, one with weeding and the other without weeding and without herbicide application, in soils with contrasting textures (sandy and clayey). No injury symptoms were observed in both cultivars, regardless of soil texture. The cultivar M 734 exhibited the highest values of the agronomic parameters evaluated. The treatment with flumioxazin provided control of more than 90% of the weeds in clayey soil and more than 64% in sandy soil. The yield of both cultivars was lower in the sandy soil. Thus, all herbicide treatments were selective for both cultivars tested, since they did not interfere with sunflower grain yield.

Variabilidade genética em genótipos de Cártamo via marcador molecular SSR

ABSTRACT The safflower is an oleaginous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is used as a raw material for various purposes. These plants are popular for the quality and quantity of oil produced and, and thus, studying their genetic variability using markers is necessary for determining genetic resources to conduct breeding programs. Therefore, we evaluated the genetic variability of safflower genotypes using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) molecular markers. The study was conducted at the State University of Mato Grosso “Carlos Alberto Reyes Maldonado”, in the Campus of Cáceres-MT. In total, 121 safflower genotypes from the Germplasm collection were evaluated using 21 SSR markers. The programs GenAlEx 6.5, GENES, and Structure were used to analyze the data. We identified 158 alleles at 21 loci among the genotypes. The expected heterozygosity (He) was high (0.551 - 0.804), but the observed heterozygosity (Ho) was low (0.000 - 0.502), and the indices of the endogamy coefficient (F) were positive in all loci and all populations, with an overall average of 0.958. The genetic differentiation (FST) values among populations were low, with an average of 0.010, which suggested a low population structure. The modified Tocher clustering and the UPGMA hierarchical clustering yielded 19 and 15 distinct groups, respectively. The genetic structure showed two populations, with few intermixes in the genome. The evaluated safflower genotypes showed genetic variability, and these genetically different variants might be used in breeding programs to obtain cultivars adapted to Brazil.

Fatty Acid Profile and Antimicrobial Activity of Oils Extracted from Seeds of Oleaginous Plant Species

Fatty Acid Profile and Antimicrobial Activity of Oils Extracted from Seeds of Oleaginous Plant Species

Dormancy-release, germination and seedling growth of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' seeds under measures of physical and chemical treatment and sowing.

Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’, a woody oleaginous plant native from China, is considered an oil crop with economic potential. However, a low germination rate was still a restriction for Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ production. The present research evaluated the germination, rooting and physiological characteristics of seedlings of Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ in response to different physical treatments and the application of exogenous chemicals. Results indicated that seeds stored in sand at room temperature, and soaked in water for 3 days prior to planting, had a beneficial effect on hypocotyl dormancy-breaking. The rate of rooting and root growth of Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ were significantly improved with 5 cm sowing depth in 15–20℃ soils. Compared with other sowing depths, the rooting percentage was significantly increased by 1.19% (2.5 cm), 0.98% (7.5 cm) and 1.47% (10 cm), respectively. Epicotyl dormancy was relieved when taproot length reached 50 mm. Soaking seeds in 0.76 mmol/L 5-aminolevulinic acid for 48 hours had the greatest beneficial effect on seed germination and seedling growth, the germination percentage was significantly increased by 4.25% (24 h) and 5.08% (72 h) compared with other treatments. While seed soaked in 10 mmol/L sodium nitroprusside for 48 hours also exhibited enhanced seedling growth, and the germination percentage was significantly increased by 4.36% (24 h) and 7.40% (72 h). Those results benefited seed germination and seedling growth of Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ which could suggest the promotion of its industrial values and productive potentials. The mechanism of seed breaking dormancy and germination of Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ needs further study.

Efficiency of Phosphorus Use in Sunflower

Sunflower is an oleaginous plant of great importance worldwide that stands out in the production of edible oil and human food. The identification of differences between cultivars regarding the use of phosphorus and the production of achenes at different levels of phosphate fertilization is a viable strategy to allow its cultivation in soils with different concentrations of phosphorus, without compromising yield and reducing environmental damage associated with excessive applications of phosphate fertilizers. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate different levels of phosphorus fertilization and sunflower cultivars regarding the efficiency of phosphorus use in two agricultural crops. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replications in split-plots, where four doses of phosphorus (50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha−1 of P2O5) were allocated in the plots, and in the subplots three sunflower cultivars (Aguará 06, Altis 99, and BRS 122). The phosphorus use efficiency of sunflower cultivars was estimated through agronomic efficiency, vegetative efficiency, agrophysiological efficiency, apparent recovery efficiency, and utilization efficiency. The dose of 50 kg ha−1 of P2O5 provided the best phosphorus efficiency indices for the different sunflower cultivars in the two studied crops. Cultivar Aguará 06 was more efficient in conditions with P2O5 supply below 150 kg ha−1, regardless of the crop. Sunflower cultivars had the best efficiency indices of phosphorus applied in the 2016 harvest.

Assessment and characterization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) accumulated by endophytic bacterium Exiguobacterium acetylicum BNL 103 from oleaginous plant Brassica napus L.

Assessment and characterization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) accumulated by endophytic bacterium Exiguobacterium acetylicum BNL 103 from oleaginous plant Brassica napus L.

Critical metabolic pathways and genes cooperate for epoxy fatty acid-enriched oil production in developing seeds of Vernonia galamensis, an industrial oleaginous plant

BackgroundVernonia galamensis native to Africa is an annual oleaginous plant of Asteraceae family. As a newly established industrial oil crop, this plant produces high level (> 70%) of vernolic acid (cis-12-epoxyoctadeca-cis-9-enoic acid), which is an unusual epoxy fatty acid (EFA) with multiple industrial applications. Here, transcriptome analysis and fatty acid profiling from developing V. galamensis seeds were integrated to uncover the critical metabolic pathways responsible for high EFA accumulation, aiming to identify the target genes that could be used in the biotechnological production of high-value oils.ResultsBased on oil accumulation dynamics of V. galamensis seeds, we harvested seed samples from three stages (17, 38, and 45 days after pollination, DAP) representing the initial, fast and final EFA accumulation phases, and one mixed sample from different tissues for RNA-sequencing, with three biological replicates for each sample. Using Illumina platform, we have generated a total of 265 million raw cDNA reads. After filtering process, de novo assembly of clean reads yielded 67,114 unigenes with an N50 length of 1316 nt. Functional annotation resulted in the identification of almost all genes involved in diverse lipid-metabolic pathways, including the novel fatty acid desaturase/epoxygenase, diacylglycerol acyltransferases, and phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferases. Expression profiling revealed that various genes associated with acyl editing, fatty acid β-oxidation, triacylglycerol assembly and oil-body formation had greater expression levels at middle developmental stage (38 DAP), which were consistent with the fast accumulation of EFA in V. galamensis developing seed, these genes were detected to play fundamental roles in EFA production. In addition, we isolated some transcription factors (such as WRI1, FUS3 and ABI4), which putatively regulated the production of V. galamensis seed oils. The transient expression of the selected genes resulted in a synergistic increase of EFA-enriched TAG accumulation in tobacco leaves. Transcriptome data were further confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR for twelve key genes in EFA biosynthesis. Finally, a comprehensive network for high EFA accumulation in V. galamensis seed was established.ConclusionsOur findings provide new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the natural epoxy oil production in V. galamensis. A set of genes identified here could be used as the targets to develop other oilseeds highly accumulating valued epoxy oils for commercial production.

Macauba fruits preserved by combining drying and ozonation methods for biodiesel production

ABSTRACT Macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) is an oleaginous plant for use in biodiesel production. After harvest, the fruits of this palm tree have high water content, thus attracting microorganisms. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt appropriate fruit storage strategies to ensure oil quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of drying and ozonation on the quality of macaúba fruit oil used to produce biodiesel. The fruits were dried at 60 °C and subsequently subjected to ozonation (treatments with different dosages and application intervals). The treatments with the combined use of drying and ozonation were efficient in maintaining FFA content below 5% for up to 45 days of storage. Furthermore, these treatments did not affect the oil content in the mesocarp of macauba fruits during 180 days of storage. Thus, the combined technique of drying and ozonation of macauba fruits without epicarps can become a viable alternative post-harvest.

Optimization of Process Parameters for Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by Bacillus pumilus AHSD 04, a Seed Borne Endophyte of Oleaginous Plant Arachis hypogaea L.

Endophytic bacteria, which thrive inside the plants, synthesize and accumulate intracellular biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) to strive against the hostile plant environment. The present study is focused on enhancing the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)], the most common PHA by the seed endophytic bacterium Bacillus pumilus AHSD 04 (GenBank accession number KY038573; MCC accession number 3573) isolated from the oleaginous plant Arachis hypogaea L. Interactions among the three most important influencing variables, glucose, tryptose, and initial pH affecting growth and P(3HB) production were studied using the central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). A 3.94-fold enhancement of P(3HB) production (5.36 g/L) was achieved over that of the 'one variable at a time' method. The isolate also produced co-polymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] with the incorporation of 4.98 mol% 3HV during dual-step cultivation using glucose and valeric acid as co-substrate. The polymers, P(3HB) and P(3HB-co-3HV), so produced have been validated and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopic analysis. It is apparent that RSM has been successfully established as a promising tool to increase P(3HB) yield by the seed endophyte B. pumilus AHSD 04, which can further be utilized to scale up the production of these biodegradable polymers of industrial importance.

Distribution and attack of pineapple mealybug to macauba palm Acrocomia aculeata

The mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is an important pest of several agricultural crops and can transmit viruses, and reduce growth and production, and lead to plant mortality. Macauba palm is an oleaginous plant whose oil can be used in the production of biodiesel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and in human food. In this context, the effect of mealybug insect attacks on the development and survival of this oleaginous remains little understood. The impact of D. brevipes attacks on macauba palm was verified by comparing the development of attacked and non-attacked plants. The spatial distribution pattern of D. brevipes in the areas studied (two areas) was also evaluated. The percentage of plants attacked by D. brevipes ranged from 52–54%. Attacked plants presented lower height (112.3–138.1 cm) and smaller crown diameter (136.8–173.6 cm) than non-attacked plants (187.8–191.6 cm and 234.7–246.2 cm). The spatial distribution of D. brevipes was best represented by the Spherical model. The attack range ranged from 4.4–5.5 m; distribution pattern of attacked plants was similar in the two plots with aggregate distribution and strong spatial dependence. The spatial distribution maps indicated that sampled plants and neighboring plants showed similar occurrence of D. brevipes. The pineapple mealybug is a pest insect with great capacity to cause mortality of young macauba plants, and can compromise the production and longevity of the attacked plants.

Oxidative metabolism and physiological quality of artifi cially aged Arachis hypogaea L. seeds

Peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) is an oleaginous plant that stands out in the Northeast because of its adaptation to climatic conditions. However, there is little information on the characteristics of the cultivars in the region in relation to their vigor and the physical and biochemical characteristics of the seeds. The objective was to study the physiological and biochemical changes in aged peanut seeds. The experiments were conducted in the Laboratory of Seed Analysis and in the Laboratory of Biotechnology of CENLAG of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - Academic Unit of Garanhuns (UFRPE / UAG). Seeds of two cultivars were used: IAC Tatu ST and Caiana. The seeds were aged artificially at 42o C and 100% relative humidity for up to 96 hours and collected every 24 hours. The vigor was evaluated through germination and enzymatic tests. An increase in accelerated aging resulted in physiological and biochemical changes in the seeds of both cultivars presented deterioration due to the accelerated aging in the peanut seeds. The enzymatic activity in the aged peanut was specific to the cultivars and APX was reduced in the seeds of the Caiana cultivar with less vigor.

Synthesis and characterization of sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil-based alkyd resin

Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) is a wild oleaginous plant of the Euphorbiaceae family that grows in the Peruvian rainforest. The oil obtained from the seeds, which can reach 92% polyunsaturated fatty acid content, has been used as a raw material for the synthesis of alkyd resins. Short oil and medium oil alkyd resins in sacha inchi and linseed oil (control) were synthesized by a two-step alcoholysis-esterification process, reacting the oil with glycerol and phthalic and maleic anhydride in different proportions. The resins were structurally characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopic techniques. The physicochemical properties of the resins in the liquid state, such as the acid value, colour, viscosity and density, were evaluated. The coating performance of the cured resins was studied by measuring the touch dry and hard dry times, hardness, chemical resistance, and thermal stability and by accelerated corrosion tests. We concluded that sacha inchi oil can be used as a raw material alternative to linseed oil in the synthesis of alkyd resins for industrial applications.