Accumulation of fatty acids in purslane grown in hydroponic salt stress conditions.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is the eighth most common plant distributed throughout the world being a heat- and drought-tolerant plant. In this study, we evaluated the effect of salinity on total amounts of fatty acids (FAs) and ω3/ω6 ratio in leaves of purslane. Plants exposed to four levels of chloride salinity in the root zone (60, 90, 120 and 240 mM NaCl) for 40 days showed no signs of toxicity or death. The main FAs detected were C16:0>C18:3>C18:2. The ratio of ω6 to ω3 was not changed with salt stress. Hierarchic cluster analysis brought together 60 and 90 mM NaCl in control plants, based on their FA content. The results of this study confirm the purslane as a plant rich in FAs whose consumption may contribute to dietary intake of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, with obvious benefits to human health.