Genetic variability in Cynara cardunculus L. domestic and wild types for grain oil production and fatty acids composition

This paper aimed to study the genetic variability within different types of Cynara cardunculus L., domestic and wild types, for their grain oil amount and oil fatty acid composition.The grain oils were extracted from 8 domestic cardoons and 4 wild cardoons, by Soxhlet method, and obtained oils were characterized for palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids by gas chromatography.The oil amount, resulted on average of accessions 216 g kg−1 DM with a good range of variability (CV = 11.7%). Unsaturated acids (oleic and linoleic) predominated over saturated ones (stearic and palmitic acids), the chemical characterization of extracted oil, showed the main compound (as % of analysed fatty acids), averaged for all populations, was linoleic acid (44.5%), followed by oleic acid (42.6%), palmitic acid (9.8%) and stearic acid (3.1%). In particular referring the oleic acid wild cardoon populations showed a mean value of 289 g kg−1 oil, against a mean value of 472 g kg−1 oil showed by domestic cardoon accessions. Three of the studied domestic cardoon (‘DC1’, ‘DC3’ and ‘DC7’) showed values higher than 795 g kg−1 oil, while all the other accessions had concentration lower than 370 g kg−1 oil.The three types of domestic cardoon ‘DC1’, ‘DC3’ and ‘DC7’ showed a fatty acids profile similar to genetic modified sunflower oil, representing new genetic material that potentially could be used for high quality biodiesel production, characterised by a low Iodine Number.

► The grain oils from 12 cardoons were characterized for fatty acids composition.
► The oil amount, resulted on average of accessions 216 g kg−1 DM.
► Oleic and linoleic acids predominated over stearic and palmitic acids.
► Three domestic cardoons grain oil showed high oleic acid content (795 g kg−1 oil).
► This oil could be used for high quality biodiesel production, with a low IN.