Modification of fatty acid composition can improve the keeping quality of peanut oil and may expand markets for peanut usage. Modification may involve hybridization to recombine existing genes, or the creation of new variability through mutagenesis or transformation with genes from other organisms. Identification of the fatty acid composition of individual seed could improve the chances of obtaining peanut genotypes with desired fatty acid composition. Published techniques for fatty acid analysis of individual peanut seed require the use of approximately half the cotyledonary seed tissue and utilize a process of solvent extraction and esterification. We have used a procedure that requires a small fraction of seed tissue and analyzes fatty acids through direct transmethylation.

Comparisons were made between procedures using seven genotypes representing a wide range of fatty acid composition variability. Quantities of fatty acids with C<20 were not statistically different between tests. While some differences were observed in longer-chained fatty acids (C≥20), the relative values among genotypes were similar. This procedure maintains greater integrity of the seed for planting purposes, requires less time and cost for fatty acid analysis, and can improve efficiency of individual seed analysis.