Fatty acid composition of oil from soybean leaves grown at extreme temperatures

Leaves from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plants were assayed to determine if the relationship between temperature and relative fatty acid composition observed in the seed oil also existed for the triglycerides in the leaf oil. Leaf samples were harvested from eight soybean lines (A5, A6, C1640, Century, Maple Arrow, N78-2245, PI 123440 and PI 361088B) grown at 40/30,28/22 and 15/ 12°C day/night. At 40/30 and 28/22°C, seven fatty acids were observed at a level greater than 1.0%. These included the five major fatty acids found in the seed oil: palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2) and linolenic (18:3) acid; plus two fatty acids that had retention times the same as palmitoleic (16:1) and γ-linolenic (18:3 g) acid. In addition, an eighth fatty acid that had a retention time the same as behenic (22:0) acid was found in the leaves of all lines at 15/12°C. Palmitic, palmitoleic and stearic acid content did not differ significantly over temperatures. The oleic and linoleic acid content were each highest at 15/12°C, while the γ-linolenic and the linolenic acid content were each highest at 40/30°C. The fatty acid composition of the triglyceride portion of the leaf oil did not display the same pattern over temperatures as that observed for seed oil.