Fatty acid composition of wild growing rose species

Fatty acid composition of seed oil obtained from fifteen domesticated accessions of four wild rose species, Rosa moschata, Rosa brunonii, Rosa multiflora and Rosa alba was determined by gas chromatography (GC). The composition was further confirmed by GC-MS and retention indices. Major fatty acids present in the seed oil were characterized as linoleic acid (LA) (45.38 to 54.58%), linolenic acid (LNA) (13.67 to 24.75%), oleic acid (11.97 to 21.08%) and palmitic acid (6.54 to 12.97%). The essential fatty acids ratio (LA: LNA) varied from 1.8:1 to 3.4:1 and oil content in seeds ranged from 1.3 to 9.0% in different accessions. These accessions can further be exploited for the development of new hybrid with improved seed oil quality and quantity through inter specific hybridization.   Key words: Fatty acids, hybridization, Rosa moschata Herrm., Rosa brunonii Lindl., Rosa multiflora Thunb., Rosa alba L.