CUPHEA - THE 1ST ANNUAL OIL PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MIDDLE CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES (MCT)

Abstract

Annual cuphea varieties provide interesting possibility for the production of middle chain triglycerides, especially those containing high level of capric (C10:0) and lauric (C12:0) acids. Our growth studies on 150 samples from 45 Central American wild cultivars, carried out in growth chamber and open field showed that the species of sectio Heterodon can be cultivated in fields. Among the C10:0 varieties C. paucipetala and C. lanceolata, and among the C12:0 varieties C. wrightii are especially suitable. However, all the cuphea varieties exhibit so far characteristics of wild plants, such as hard seed coat, sticky secretion and rupture of the ripening fruit, which are disadvantageous in agricultural utilization. By chemical mutation with EMS it was possible to breed suitable mutants from C. aperta and from other Heterodon varieties that did not exhibit characteristics of wild plants. Further studies are aimed at improvements on yield via intra- and interspecific crossing. The results of studies carried out for five years suggest that cuphea can be cultivated in central Europe.