Tocopherols mutations in sunflower seeds (a review report of invited speaker)

The earliest data of changed tocopherols profile in sunflower seeds was obtained in Hungary in 1966. The strains did not contain α-T possessing only β- and γ-isomers. The first spontaneous mutation of tph1 of tocopherol composition with about 50% of increased content of β-T was revealed at VNIIMK, Russia. An inbred line LG15 with increased β-T phenotype was developed. The second spontaneous mutation tph2 was discovered at VNIIMK in the VIR world germplasm collection. The mutant phenotype had up to 100% of γ-T in LG17 line. Later, two spontaneous mutations were obtained at Cordoba, Spain. Inbred lines with increased β-T (T589) and high γ-T (T2100) were developed. Another high γ-T mutation was revealed with chemical EMS mutagenesis. The tph3 or d cryptic modifier mutation was postulated by an American team of molecular geneticists to explain high content of β -T in tph1 and high content of δ-T in a double mutation tph1 tph2.