Effect of Temperature on Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Oat Grains

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Abstract
Oil content and fatty acid composition of oat varieties and lines were studied in Finland at eight locations during a 3-year period characterized by significant differences, especially in the average temperature of the growing period. Average oil content varied from 5.6% to 7.5% in different years. Oil content was increased by low temperature during the growing period: 76.8% of the variation in oil content could be explained by the mean temperature during the growing period of the oat varieties/lines. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and eicosenoic acids were found in every oat sample. Myristic, palmitoleic, arachidic and erucic acids were detected in most samples in low concentrations. Low temperature increased the synthesis of oleic, linoleic and eicosenoic acids and decreased the synthesis of myristic, palmitic and palmitoleic acids significantly. Growth temperature could explain fatty acid concentrations by the following percentage values (r 2 %): myristic acid 40.8%, palmitic acid 78.4%, palmitoleic acid 18.4%, oleic acid 28.8%, linoleic acid 14.8% and eicosenoic acid 6.4%. The fatty acid composition of oats grown in low temperatures is more beneficial to human nutrition compared to the fatty acid composition of oats cultivated under higher temperatures.