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. 2025 Jul 1;16:1598815. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1598815

Table 1.

Composition of fatty acids in traditional and novel oil crops.

Common name Latin name Familia Genus Relative content of major fatty acids (%) Special fatty acids
C16:0 C18:0 C18:1Δ9 C18:2Δ9,12 C18:3Δ9,12,15
Maize a Zea mays L. Poaceae Zea 12.3 1.9 27.7 56.1 1
Soybean a Glycine max L. Fabaceae Glycine 10.8 3.9 23.9 52.1 7.8
Sesame a Sesamum indicum L. Pedaliaceae Sesamum 7.83 5.41 27.22 48.99 0.01 C17:0; C17:1
Peanut a Arachis hypogaea L. Fabaceae Arachis 10.04 2.92 47.08 32.29 1.8
Sunflower a Helianthus annuus L. Asteraceae Helianthus 7.9 4.13 14.42 73.55 0
Rapeseed a Brassica napus L. Brassicaceae Brassica 5.1 1.7 60.1 21.5 9.9
Flax a Linum usitatissimum L. Linaceae Linum 6.1 3.4 18.4 16.8 55
Tung tree b Vernicia fordii (Hemsl.) Airy Shaw Euphorbiaceae Vernicia 2.68 2.42 6.35 8.19 80.03 C18:3,c9,t11,t13
Perilya b Perilla frutescens L. Britt. Lamiaceae Perilla 7.32 1.89 2.77 10.54 77.58 C17:0; C17:1
Buglossoides arvensis b Lithospermum arvense Boraginaceae Lithospermum 5 2 11 14 57 C18:4
Tree peony b Paeonia suffruticosa Paeoniaceae Paeonia 5.7 2.2 20.8 24.6 45.2 C17:0; C17:1
Chinese tallow tree b Sapium sebiferum L. Roxb. Euphorbiaceae Sapium 7.08 2.17 14.2 30.3 43.5
False flax b Camelina sativa L. Crantz Brassicaceae Camelina 5.04 2.15 15.65 18.88 38.15 C20:1
Sea buckthorn b Hippophae rhamnoides L. Elaeagnaceae Hippophae 27 1.4 21.7 15.7 8.8
English walnut b Juglans regia L. Juglandaceae Juglans 4.6 0.9 17.8 73.4 3.3
Chinese pistache b Pistacia chinensis Bunge Anacardiaceae Pistacia 18.55 0 47.59 32.35 0.98
Olive oil b Olea europaea L. Oleaceae Olea 8.76 2.83 72.79 13.2 0.92
Tea oil camellia b Camellia oleifera Abel Theaceae Camellia 11.7 1.8 75.1 10.5 0.9
Yellow nutsedge b Cyperus esculentus L. Cyperaceae Cyperus 16.2 2.5 64.9 15.5 0.9
Yellowhorn trees b Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge Xanthoceraceae Xanthoceras 5.3 1.92 30.69 42.44 0.41
African oil palm b Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Arecaceae Elaeis 43.8 4.4 39.1 10.2 0.3
Safflower b Carthamus tinctorius L. Asteraceae Carthamus 6.1 2.3 13.4 76 0.3 C20:5
Almonds with long stems b Amygdalus pedunculata Pall. Rosaceae Amygdalus 2.68 0.35 69.5 27.5 0.18
Barbados Nut b Jatropha curcas L. Euphorbiaceae Jatropha 27 3.2 69 0 0
Cotton b Gossypium sp. Malvaceae Gossypium 22.6 2.1 17.7 56.5 0
Chinese windmill palm b Trachycarpus fortunei H. Wendl. Arecaceae Trachycarpus 11 4.4 15.9 2.8 0 C12:0; C14:0
Coconut palm b Cocos nucifera L. Arecaceae Cocos 4.2 3 11.9 3.5 0 C10:0; C12:0
Idesia b Idesia polycarpa Maxim. Salicaceae Idesia 8.4 3.48 5.85 80.11 0 C18:3,c9,t11,t13
Castor bean b Ricinus communis L. Euphorbiaceae Ricinus 1.1 0.9 3.4 4.9 0 C18:1,12-OH-c9

a represents traditional oilseed crops, and b represents novel oilseed crops. Traditional oilseed crops refer to a category of plants that have been utilized by humans for an extended period. These crops possess a significant cultivation scale and contain high levels of fat in their seeds, which is extracted for use as edible oil or as raw materials for industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Novel oilseed crops refer to crop species that have been newly discovered or cultivated over the past decade. These species exhibit high oil content and are suitable for oil extraction. In addition to diversifying the range of oil crops, they also provide enhanced options and resources for the edible oil market.