Effects of Seed Color and Growing Locations on Fatty Acid Content and Composition of Two Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Genotypes

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed coat color on oil content and fatty acid composition, as well as the effect of different growing areas on chemical variation. This study was carried out using white and black-spotted chia seeds grown together at five locations of Ecuador. Oil content was not significantly (P < 0.05) different for any of the comparative analyses performed between white and black-spotted seeds at all, although significant differences in oil content among locations were detected. The seeds from the San Pablo location showed the highest oil concentration (34.5%). No significant differences among fatty acids at any of the location were detected between white and black-spotted seeds; however, significant differences in fatty acids composition between sites were found. Overall, significant (P < 0.05) differences in palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic fatty acid compositions among oils from seeds grown in different locations were detected. In conclusion, this paper shows that the larger differences found in oil content and fatty acid composition are due to location (because of the environmental differences) rather than chia seed coat color.