Seed Oil Biochemical Composition of Cultivated Cucurbita L. Species from the VIR Collections Grown in the Astrakhan Province of the Russian Federation

Abstract

Cucurbita crops are among the most valuable and widely cultivated vegetable crops in global agriculture. Cucurbit seed oil meets the requirements of functional nutrition; it is material for the food industry and medicines based on natural ingredients. The present research was aimed at studying features of the biochemical composition of oil in seeds of the main cultivated Cucurbita L. species from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR) grown in the conditions of the Astrakhan Experiment Station (AES) of VIR. The oil content in seeds of Cucurbita L. species varied from 40 to 49.7%. Over 80% of the fatty acids (FA) composition (FAC) was represented by oleic (13.6–49.6) and linoleic (33.5–69.3%) acids. The accessions of Cucurbita mixta Pang. were noted for high values of saturated FAs (palmitic and stearic), those of Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Harz. of linoleic and linolenic, and those of Cucurbita pepo L. of oleic acid. The multiple factor analysis showed significant differences in FAC in accessions of C. pepo var. melopepo, Cucurbita maxima Duch. and C. pepo. The performed study allowed us to reveal FAC features in seeds of each Cucurbita species from the VIR collection and to identify the accessions with the best economically important indicators.

Variability of the Main Economically Valuable Characteristics of Cyperus esculentus L. in Various Ecological and Geographical Conditions

“…The hexane fraction was evaporated to complete dryness in flowing nitrogen, then 0.5 mL of a 0.1 Mol solution of sodium hydroxide in methanol was added, and the mixture was heated for 15 min at 100 °C for obtaining fatty acid methyl esters. After cooling, 0.5 mL of n-hexane was put in the tube, and it was shaken vigorously; then, the hexane fraction was transferred into the GC vial [ 37 ].…”

Bio Characterization via FTIR and GCMS Analysis of Cucurbita variety (Yellow and White Pumpkin)

“…Earlier phytochemical analysis on fruits of eighteen cultivars of Cucurbita found to possess low phenolic content (Kostecka-Gugała et al 2020). At the same time seeds of this species are known to have an expensive supply of natural edible oil (fatty acid) reported to have a significantly high level of linoleic acid (Shelenga et al 2020) Cucurbita maxima (White pumpkin) which are grown in warm countries are popularly acknowledged vegetable crop for its nutritional and medicinal purposes. Peel and fruits of pumpkins contain sugars, volatile oils, flavonoids, glycosides, saccharides, proteins, carotenes, vitamins, and minerals (Marquez Cardazo et al 2021).…”

Special Issue “Recent Advances in Genomics, Genetic Resources Evaluation and Breeding of Cucurbitaceae Crops”

“…Cucurbit seed oil meets the requirements for functional nutrition, being a material for the food industry and medicines based on natural ingredients. Shelenga et al [9] examined seed oil biochemical composition of several Cucurbita collections from the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR) to extract more data that might allow us to identify the accessions with the most economically important indicators for seed oil.…”