The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

Cassava (Manihot esculenta; Euphorbiaceae) is the only commercial species of the genus cultivated mainly for its starchy tuber roots. Cassava seeds are known to be rich in oils and fats. However, there are very few reports on the fatty acid profile in cassava seeds and its wild relatives. Wild cassava species usually produce higher numbers of seeds with large diversity in shape and size. Seeds of 12 Manihot species (75 accessions) from the Embrapa collection in Brazil were analyzed for fatty acid profile using gas chromatography. All species contained five predominant fatty acids. The concentration of the fatty acids was: palmitic (C16:0) 9.0 – 21.7%, stearic (C18:0) 1.9 – 11.2%, oleic (C18:1) 12.4 – 31.2%, linoleic (C18:2) 45.9 – 72.3%, linolenic (C18:3) 0.8 – 3.2%. The concentration of the fatty acids varied significantly within species and between accessions. The collection of Embrapa’s Manihot germplasm contains a large source of variability for fatty acid composition, probably influenced by the great diversity of wild species and accessions, and also by environmental factors such as year and location of seed harvest. The Manihot wild collection is a valuable source for cassava diversity and the data of this study will support cassava improvement programs.