Oleic Acid Glycerides Content in the Oils of Maize Endospermic Mutants and Its Dependence on Temperature During Ripening

Identification of sources of increased content of oleic acid glycerides (oleates) and determination of the nature of its variability are prerequisites for improving oil quality. The purpose of this study was to establish the variability of the content of oleic acid glycerides (oleates) in maize oil depending on the genotype and ripening temperature. The experiments were carried out on a series of common maize inbreds and inbred-carriers of the su₁, ae, and su₂ mutations, which were grown for three years. The fatty acid composition of the oil was analysed by the Peisker gas chromatographic method. Genotype–environment interactions were assessed using the Eberhard– Russell algorithm. It was found that the carriers of the su₁ and su₂ mutations had the highest oleate content. The oleate content of maize oil generally increased with increasing ripening temperature. Unrelated inbreds based on one mutation significantly differed in the genetically determined level of oleate and showed non-identical responses to the ripening temperature. In inbreds of the first type, the content of oleates changed significantly with temperature fluctuation, while inbreds of the second type provided a fairly stable level of the trait under these conditions.