Fatty Acids and Sterols in Avena Sativa L. in Yakutia Permafrost

The authors of this study examined the seasonal changes in qualitative and quantitative contents of fatty acids, total lipids, phospholipids, and sterols of the common oat ( Avena sativa L. ) that were sown at different times. They grow in Yakutia permafrost and undergo inter-season cold hardening. During the first phase of cold hardening (fall period), the total lipid content in oat biomass grows considerably. Moreover, the content of phospholipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased, compared them to other summer fodder plants. In fall, the amount of phosphatidylcholine in oats increased 3.9 times compared to summer. Alpha-linolenic polyunsaturated acid was predominant in summer and fall (14.8 mg/g and 28.4 mg/g in dry mass, respectively). The inter-season (summer-fall) dominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids at low above-zero temperatures allows keeping the membrane fluidity at a necessary level. The total sterol content in A. sativa biomass was 0.8%. The authors concluded that fall vegetation is the primary source of pre-winter fattening of the Far North herbivorous animals.