Environmental and Genetic Effects on the Composition of Palm Oil From Hybrid Plant Clones of Caiaué and Oil Palm

ABSTRACT

The interspecific hybrids (IEH OxG) obtained from the crossing of Elaeis oleifera (Eo) and Elaeis guineensis (Eg) are resistant to some diseases that affect Eg in some regions of South America, and commercial growing in several countries has been established. The mesocarp oil from (IEH OxG) presents a higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and a higher content of bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and tocotrienols, than Eg oil. The oil composition depends on the genotype and edaphoclimatic conditions, and the best strategy to assess the environmental effect on the expression of a trait is to evaluate clones. In this study, clones of hybrid plants generated by interspecific crosses between Eo (called caiaué, in Brazil) and Eg were compared at two sites in the Amazonian region, Brazil. The fatty acid profiles, tocochromanols, and carotenoids contents were obtained. Significant differences for genotypes, season of harvest, and growing location were observed ( p  < 0.05). The higher total tocols content in hybrid palm oil was attributed to higher annual solar radiation, while precipitation was the environmental factor showing the greatest effect on the variation in total carotenoid content of mesocarp oils. The growing location at Santa Barbara do Pará showed a trend of higher content of bioactive compounds. The saturated and unsaturated fatty acids content of mesocarp oil depended on the growing location, harvest season, and plant genotype.