The ecological plasticity and stability of high-oleic sunflower varieties (Helianthus annuus L.) in terms of their major fatty acid content

L. M. Prysiazhniuk; A. M. Kyrylchuk; I. V. Smulska; S. M. Hryniv; L. V. Korol; N. V. Pavliuk; S. I. Melnyk; T. V. Dudka

doi:10.21498/2518-1017.22.1.2026.357578

Authors

L. M. Prysiazhniuk Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4388-0485
A. M. Kyrylchuk Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3948-5810
I. V. Smulska Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9675-0620
S. M. Hryniv Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2044-4528
L. V. Korol Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination , Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1414-0015
N. V. Pavliuk Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2532-7301
S. I. Melnyk Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5514-5819
T. V. Dudka Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7535-2383

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21498/2518-1017.22.1.2026.357578

Keywords:

sunflower varieties, fatty acid composition, effects of growing factors, adaptive capacity, statistical analysis

Abstract

Purpose. To determine the role of varietal genetic characteristics, growing conditions, and their interaction in the formation of the fatty acid (FA) composition of oil, as well as to assess the adaptive capacity and stability of the synthesis of major fatty acids in high-oleic (HO) sunflower varieties. Methods. Biochemical (gas chromatography) and statistical methods (analysis of variance, correlation and regression analyses). Results. An assessment of the effects of soil and climatic growing conditions, as well as genotype, on the fatty acid (FA) composition of sunflower oil revealed that varietal affiliation was the most influential factor in determining variations in oleic and linoleic acid content, accounting for 66% of total variation. Weather conditions of the year contributed 11% to the variability of oleic acid content, while the interaction of factors “location × year” explained an additional 11%, highlighting the role of environmental variability in the realization of the genetic potential of the varieties. The highest ecological plasticity for oleic acid content was observed in the varieties ‘AM PRESTIGE’ and ‘P64GE233’, which combined high ecological plasticity coefficients (bᵢ) with low stability variance (Wᵢ), allowing them to be classified as intensive-type genotypes. For linoleic acid content, the varieties ‘AM KLP 25’, ‘IR Polysk’, and ‘IR Legat’ exhibited the greatest plasticity. The content of palmitic acid was largely determined by the genotype factor (64%) and the interaction “location × year”, whereas stearic acid content was predominantly influenced by weather conditions (79%). A strong negative correlation was identified between oleic and linoleic acid contents (r = –0.93; R² = 0.87). Conclusions. HO sunflower varieties are characterized by a high level of genetically determined stability of fatty acid composition, while simultaneously maintaining the ability to effectively realize their potential for enhanced oleic acid synthesis under favorable growing conditions. The assessment of ecological plasticity and stability revealed that the varieties ‘AM PRESTIGE’ and ‘P64GE233’ can be classified as intensive types with respect to oleic acid content, whereas the varieties ‘IR Polysk’, ‘AM KLP 25’, and ‘IR Legat’ demonstrated intensive responses for linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acid contents. The absence of extensive-type genotypes indicates stable expression of the HO phenotype across all studied varieties, regardless of growing conditions.

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