Variation in fatty acid composition in different organs of Prunus armeniaca

Fatty acids are the main components of plant metabolism and affect growth, development, and adaptation to the environment. They also have significant nutritional and therapeutic value for human health. However, data on their distribution in different plant organs is limited. Prunus armeniaca L. (apricot), especially the ‘Shalakh’ variety grown in Armenia, is a valuable crop due to its traditional uses and rich biochemical profile. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the fatty acid composition of eight plant organs (roots, bark, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and kernel shells) collected from a single apricot tree. Thirteen fatty acids were identified across the various organs using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionisation detection. The seed samples had the highest content of unsaturated fatty acids, predominantly oleic acid (56.14%) and linoleic acid (33.39%), with a total ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids of 11.7. This indicates a strong potential for nutritional applications of the raw material. In contrast, the flowers had the highest saturated fatty acid content (58.4%), with a total ratio of 0.7. The leaves demonstrated a significant presence of linolenic acid (36.14%), contributing to a lower ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids. Additionally, the apricot kernel shell exhibited an intermediate profile with a higher saturated fatty acid content than the seeds (40% versus 7.9%). All apricot organs contain palmitic acid, ranging from 6.54% to 30.18%, with the highest concentration found in the kernel shell, and stearic acid, ranging from 1.03% to 10.76%, with the highest concentration found in the flowers. These findings reveal organ-specific patterns of fatty acid distribution in apricots, which are related to functional features and developmental stages. They also provide new baseline data for future studies of plant lipid metabolism, cultivar selection, and the utilisation of raw materials in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. Keywords: Armenian apricot, gas chromatography, linoleic acid, oleic acid