THE CAPER SPURGE (EUPHORBIA-LATHYRIS L) - A POTENTIAL SEED OIL SUPPLIER

Abstract

The caper spurge or gopher plant has been known from former times as seed oil supplier for technical and pharmaceutical uses. During recent years increased attention was paid to this species because of its content of latex and as energy carrier. However, this type of utilization seems to be more suitable for favourable climates. In our case the total content of seedoil and of component fatty acids are of interest. Having an average oil content of nearly 50% in the seeds, a result which was obtained by evaluating seed samples of different origin, this species belongs to the oilrich ones. Among the component fatty acids oleic acid dominates amounting 83% followed by palmitic acid (6.4%) as well as linoleic and linolenic acid forming less than 5%. Against the utilization as a food stuff there is a strong argument, i.e. the existence of a co-carcinogenous factor in the seedoil (and also in the latex). Therefore this spurge species is considered a renewable resource for chemical raw material. The work in progress is concentrated upon collection and evaluation of geographically divergent provenances in order to provide a sufficient large genetic variation which is a prerequisite for further improvement.