Fatty acid analysis of in vitro shoot cultures of Portulaca oleracea Linn.

Portulaca oleracea Linn.; a common vegetable, rich in essential omega fatty acids have gained popularity in recent years as a potential food supplement. The present study, evaluates ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS)induced variations, in the fatty acids content of the treated shoot cultures against the in vivo/in vitro fatty acids profile of the shoots. The regeneration of shoots was initiated from the leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog's (MS)medium in presence of N6-benzyladenine (BA)/kinetin (Kin). The optimum in vitro shoots (8.3?±?1.01 shoots/explants)regenerated in medium supplemented with 5 µM BA and 10 µM Kin. A transfer of these shoots to basal MS medium with 5 percent coconut water (CW)multiplied the shoots (36.2?±?3.70 shoots/explants)after 2 weeks. The in vitro leaves were treated with EMS (0.1-1 percent)and placed on an optimised medium for developing shoot cultures. The GC-MS analysis of fatty acids in untreated and EMS treated shoot cultures revealed palmitic (C16:0), linoleic (C 18:2), and linolenic (C18:3)acids, being the major fatty acids in all the cultures. At 0.3 percent/0.6 percent EMS, the cultures synthesized tricosanoic acid (C 23:0, 2.27?±?0.16)while oleic acid at 0.3 percent was 3.5 times higher compared to in vivo shoots and twice that of the in vitro shoots. The study indicated that the plant has a high regeneration capacity, and the EMS treatment induces variations both in compositions and the content of fatty acids.