Abstract:To rapidly determine the variations in fatty acid composition during the development of Camellia oleifera Abel. seeds, the seeds of C. oleifera, peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), and sesame (Sesamum indicum) were pre-treated with shaking + methyl esterification and soxhlet extraction + methyl esterification. The fatty acid compositions of the seeds were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The morphology of C. oleifera seed oil body in the cotyledon was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The results showed that the method of shaking + methyl esterification was more suitable for the rapid detection of fatty acids in large numbers of samples due to its convenience, precision, and speed. The oil content peaked at 47~54 weeks after flowering (WAF), which was between September and the picking season. Oleic acid was the main type of fatty acid throughout the development of C. oleifera seeds, and it increased gradually during growth and its content in mature seeds was above 78%. However, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linoleic acid showed clear decreasing trends during the same period. Cytological observations also indicated that the peak period for oil conversion in this Camellia strain was between 45 to 48 WAF.
