EVALUATION OF MICROSPORE-DERIVED EMBRYOS AS MODELS FOR STUDYING LIPID BIOSYNTHESIS IN SEED OF RAPESEED (BRASSICA-NAPUS L)

Microspore culture of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) has provided a powerful tool not only for breeding but also in developmental studies. In this study, microspore-derived embryos (MDE) of B. napus were evaluated as a model in seed for studying accumulations of triacylglyceride (TAG) fatty acids in both a low and high erucic acid rapeseed line; and accumulations of TAG and free fatty acids (FFA) in a high erucic acid rapeseed line. The accumulation patterns confirmed that MDE had a similar TAG fatty acid profile to seed during the embryo development within each genotype. The oil accumulation in MDE after 36 days in culture (DIC) approached levels similar to those in zygotic seed 25 days after flowering (DAF). Significant differences were detected in contents of both total free fatty acids and specific free fatty acids between MDE and seed. During the developmental period, total free fatty acids changed from 16% to 2.1% in MDE, but from 10.5% to 0.1% in seed. MDE had much higher percentage of free linolenic and erucic acids than seed, particularly during the late developmental stages. The current study indicated that MDE can be used as a model to study TAG and TAG fatty acids in seed but caution must be taken to study free fatty acid metabolism.