Evaluation of Siberian Apricot (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus sibirica</Emphasis> L.) Germplasm Variability for Biodiesel Properties

The potential for using Siberian apricot (Prunus sibirica L.) seed kernel oil as a source of biodiesel raw material is often overlooked when considering Siberian apricots as a greening tree in China. The aim of this research was to study and compare the oil content and fatty acid composition of 17 germplasm accessions in northern regions of China. Oil content ranged from 44.73 to 57.83 % with a mean of 50.18 % for the 17 accessions. In AS-080, AS-013, AS-017 and AS-027, oil contents were higher than 55 %. Percentages of fatty acids varied greatly among different accessions, but all the accessions contained high amounts of important oleic acid. The biodiesel properties of the Siberian apricot seed kernels oil methyl ester were determined and compared to the relevant specifications from the ASTM D6751-2003, EN 14214-2005 and GB/T 20828-2007. In general, germplasm accession PS-80 has been identified as the ideal feedstock for biodiesel production while germplasm accessions PS-17 and PS-27 were found to be the promising feedstock for biodiesel production.