Olive Oil Biogenesis. Contribution of Fruit photosynthesis

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that developing olive (Olea europaea) fruits can synthesize storage triacylglycerols (TAG) from a number of radiolabeled precursors, such as acetate, bicarbonate and CO2, and that such a process is stimulated by light [1]. Those results showed the photosynthetic nature of developing olives, although they provided no insight on the relative contribution of fruit photosynthesis to the formation of storage TAG in this fruit. This question has been addressed by carrying out a field experiment in which olives were allowed to develop under either autotrophic or heterotrophic conditions, and their growth and lipid biosynthetic activities were compared with those of fruits developed under normal conditions. The results indicated that fruit photosynthesis might contribute significantly to TAG synthesis in olives.