Stage of harvest and polyunsaturated essential fatty acid concentrations in purslane (Portulaca oleraceae) leaves

Purslane is a nutritious vegetable crop rich in the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (PUEFA) alpha -linolenic acid (LNA) and linoleic acid (LA), which are essential for normal human growth, health promotion, and disease prevention. Total lipids and fatty acid concentrations at three stages of harvest (6-, 10-, and 14-true-leaf stages) were examined in a cultivated variety of purslane (Portulaca oleraceae L. var. sativa). The 14-true-leaf stage of growth was found to be ideal for harvest because at this stage the leaf area, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, and PUEFA concentrations per gram of leaf fresh weight were higher (P less than or equal to 0.05) than at the 6- and 10-true-leaf stages of growth. The LNA to LA ratio was also highest at the 14-true-leaf stage.