Fatty acids in lipids of maturing wheat.

Two varieties of hard red winter wheat were sampled at various stages of maturity. The lipids in those samples were fractionated into free polar, free nonpolar and bound lipids. Fatty acids of those fractions were determined. Major acids present were palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic. Both wheat samples showed similar qualitative, but not quantitative patterns in distribution of fatty acids during maturation. In the free polar lipid fraction, the palmitic acid content decreased with maturation while the linoleic acid content increased. The free nonpolar fractions showed a slight increase in linoleic acid; the concentration of other acids decreased slightly as the wheat matured. The bound lipid fraction showed a marked increase in linoleic acid, accompanied by decreases in the other major fatty acids, especially linolenic.