Edaphoclimatic Conditions of the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region Affect the Productivity and Composition of Sunflower Oil

Abstract

It has been suggested that fatty acid balance in standard sunflower oil may be influenced by the genotype of the plant or by variation in environmental growth conditions. Therefore, this study analysed aspects of sunflower productivity and oil quality obtained from achenes of plants cultivated in a semi-arid environment, resulting from seed obtained from other regions with different edaphoclimatic characteristics. The experiment was conducted between February and May, in a Brazilian semi-arid area. At 90 days after sowing (DAS), the physiological maturation period, tissue was harvested, and the yield of plant green matter, oil and oil per hectare was evaluated. A comparative analysis of the oil content of achenes before and after planting (parental v progeny) was performed. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design of 4 treatments (genotypes), Embrapa122, BRSG01, Helio253 and Helio250, and 4 replications, for a total of 16 experimental plots, with each plot constituting 8 plants. In this study, sunflowers were produced in the climatic conditions of the Brazilian semi-arid region with biomasses, achenes and oil contents that were different from other crop productions in the country, providing the possibility of obtaining oil with a distinct chemical composition.