FATTY ACID, MINERAL AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITIONS OF VARIOUS GENOTYPES AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS OF SWEET ALMOND FROM THE SAME ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

This study was carried out on the fatty acid, mineral and proximate compositions of ten sweet almond genotypes and two commercial varieties named as Ferragnes and Ferraduel grown in the same ecological conditions known as the Firat riverside region during two consecutive years. In this context, the crude oil (Co), crude protein (Cp), total sugar (Ts), total ash (Ta) and moisture (Mo) contents from the almond genotypes and cultivars ranged from 48.69 to 55.8%, 20.41 to 25.82%, 2.92 to 5.27%, 3.29 to 4.66% and 2.52 to 3.75%, respectively. The genotypes and cultivars showed a varied mineral content as well. Potassium (K) was the main mineral in all genotypes and cultivars, ranging from 679.53 to 986.63 mg100 g(-1) ; phosphorus (P) was the second most abundant mineral, ranging from 584.57 to 697.31 mg100 g(-1) ; followed by magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca), ranging from 325.27 to 381.93 mg100 g(-1) , 250.15 to 332.19 mg100 g(-1) , respectively. Of the identified fatty acids, oleic acid (Oa) (69.76-72.02%) was the predominant fatty acid, followed by linoleic acid (La) (18.82-21.62%), palmitic acid (Pa) (5.627.76%), and stearic acid (Sa) (1.20-1.69%). Other fatty acids were present at trace amounts. The unsaturated (Ufa)/saturated fatty acid (Sfa) ratios ranged from 9.29 to 12.12. From the results of the present study, we can conclude that the kernels of almond genotypes and cultivars are being potential sources of valuable oil which might be used for edible and other industrial purposes.