STUDIES ON CHANGES IN PATTERNS OF FATTY-ACIDS, STEROLS AND TOCOPHEROLS OF OIL DURING SEED MATURATION OF OIL CROPS .1. SUNFLOWER SEEDS

The variation of lipid constituents in maturing sunflower oil seeds ha s been investigated with the aim of determination of the proper harves ting time as well as the oil quality. Marked variations in fatty acid, sterol and tocopherol constituents of the oil were observed. Capillar y gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography were u sed in the analysis which enabled the determination of major as well a s minor constituents in the oil. In addition, gas chromatography coupl ed to mass spectrometry was used to confirm the structure of cycloarte nol sterol. Postulations on the key compounds of fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols were proposed in the frame of the main biosynthetic p athways. The proper harvesting time was found to be 118 days after pla ntation since the oil content was high and the constituents of the oil were balanced.