POPPY SEED (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM L.): EFFECT OF GENOTYPE AND YEAR OF CULTIVATION ON VARIABILITY IN ITS LIPID COMPOSITION

Abstract

Poppy seeds have a high nutritive value and are used as a food and a source of edible oil. This oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is known that polyunsaturated fatty acids present not only basic nutriments for human body, but its taking to the organism is very important in term of protection against cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks and many inflammatory diseases. The goal of the study was to determine lipid content and fatty acids composition in eight selected poppy genotypes grown in experimental fields of the Plant Production Research Centre Piešťany – Research and Breeding Station at Malý Šariš (Slovak Republic) in two years. Seed oils were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC-FID) from prepared methylesters of fatty acids. The highest lipid content in 2007 was detected for genotype Opál (49.9%). In 2009, genotype ZB-6 contained the highest lipid content (50.1%). Linoleic acid was dominant fatty acid in all analyzed poppy oils. Its highest level contained the genotype ZB-5 (68.1%) in 2007 and ZB-1 (66.5%) in 2009. Other major fatty acids were palmitic and oleic acids. As minority fatty acids were presented stearic, alpha-linolenic and palmitoleic acids. Myristic, arachidic and gadoleic acids were observed in trace amounts. Furthermore, the effect of year of cultivation on the fatty acids content in poppy seed oils was examined by Student t-test and appropriate non-parametric Mann-Whitney test.