Summary: | Due to the importance of tocopherols in oil stability and, consequently, in maintaining almond
(Prunus amygdalus Batsch) kernel quality, the content of the three homologues ?-, ?- y ?-tocopherol
has been determined in the kernels of eight almond parents and 48 selections coming from five families
obtained by crosses among these parents. A high variability in the content of the three homologues
has been observed, even among genotypes of the same family, with significant differences
among families and individuals. The content in ?-tocopherol ranged between 187,3 and 490,3 mg/kg
of oil, that of ?-tocopherol between 12,9 and 27,6, and that of ?-tocopherol between 12,3 and 22,4,
confirming in almond the higher content of ?-tocopherol, the homologue with major activity. A significant
and positive correlation was also found between the contents in ?- and ?-tocopherol. The
high tocopherol content in 'Marcona', a traditional Spanish cultivar considered of the highest quality,
was specially relevant, as well as that in several promising selections of very late blooming time. The
continuous variability in tocopherol contents suggests that these contents could be under poligenic
control. The positive correlation between the contents in ?- and ?-tocopherol could allow selection for a high isomer content with the objective of increasing the content of the other isomer. The significant differences found for the ?- and ?-tocopherol contents suggest the importance in parent election in
almond breeding and that selection for a high tocopherol content is a clearly attainable objective in
this breeding program. |