Ethereal extract in butternut squash seeds (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne) in three generations of inbreeding

Abstract

Context: Butternut squash seed is rich in ethereal extract with high quality long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Knowledge gap: It is unknown how inbreeding influences the ethereal extract character in butternut squash seeds. Purpose: The objective was to evaluate the performance of ethereal extract content and its associated seed characters of butternut squash C. moschata genotypes in three generations of inbreeding S0, S1 and S2 and to identify the predominant fatty acids.Methodology: A randomized complete block design was employed in six (6) genotypes, four (4) treatments and five (5) plants per experimental unit, inbreeding depression (ID) was assessed between generations for the variables ethereal extract (EE), seed weight per fruit (SWF), seed unit weight (SUW) and number of seeds per fruit (NSPF); for the identification of the fatty acids present in the EE, the technique of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MC) was used. Results and conclusions: In genotypes 129 and 160 when passing from generation S0 to S1, they did not present DE in the EE character and when passing from generation S1 to generation S2, only genotype 129 presented -DE, the other genotypes increased the EE content. Fluctuations between genotypes were presented for the variables SWF, SUW and NSPF in which a differentiating factor between generations was not identified. When analyzing the EE, it was identified that 66.98% belong to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, where 60.15% belong to oleic acid, and the compound squalene, which is scarcely present in oilseeds, was found among the components.