Fatty acids profile in three cultivars of Tunisian apricot oilseeds (<i>Prunus armeniaca</i> L.): impact of maturity

Profiling’s of oil yield and fatty acid were monitored during maturation of three different accession of Tunisian apricots (AprB, AprC and AprO) among different days after flowering (DAF) and grown in two different geographical regions of Tunisia. The first results show that a quick distribution started in immature oilseeds apricot and continued until their full maturity. Nine fatty acids were identified in apricot oilseeds such as palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidic, gadoleic and margaric acids. Palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were determined as major fatty acids in apricot oil varieties. Interestingly, the content of each fatty acid in the three accessions of apricot varied significantly (p ) during seeds development and especially in wild apricot AprB. PCA analysis in AprB demonstrate that at the time-date of 41 DAF, the production of fatty acids is in its maximum and could have numerous future therapeutics applications.