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Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2024) | Viewed by 14922

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wenbin Guan

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Guest Editor

School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
Interests: conservation, assessment and utilization of rare and endangered species; biodiversity conservation; ecological planning and evaluation; vegetation ecology

Prof. Dr. Yousry A. El-Kassaby

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Interests: tree domestication; tree improvement delivery system; seed orchards’ genetics; tree breeding; association genetics and genomic selection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Woody oil species not only provide natural, healthy and high-quality edible oils, especially ultra-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA), and other bio-based products, but also play an important ecological role in carbon sequestration on barren land. Therefore, the development of the woody oil industry is i) an essential supplement to global food safety strategies; ii) a significant measure to eliminate poverty in the world; and iii) an important link in global green and sustainable development.

Much research effort and many technical resources have been devoted to the utilization and cultivation of herbal oil plants. However, little research has focused on woody oil plants. The tea oil camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel.), olive (Canarium album (Lour.) Raeusch.), palm (Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) H. Wendl.) and coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) are famous as the four woody oil plants, the products of which have a huge impact globally, occupying a considerable share of the market. The special edible and health value of woody oil species is attracting the attention of international markets. For instance, Malania oleifera (Malania oleifera Chun et S.Lee ex S.Lee), distributed in rocky desertification regions, has a content of nervonic acid (cis-Tetracos-15-enoic) of 67% in seed, which has important brain function.

Fortunately, more domestic woody oil plants, such as Wood of Shinyleaf Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge), Purpleblow Maple (Acer truncatum Bunge), Fructus Hippophae (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), peony (Paeonia ostii and P. rockii), Malania oleifera and Elaeagnus mollis (Elaeagnus mollis Diels Elaeagnus L.), have gained favor from the scientists and entrepreneurs over the years, and much research and development has been conducted on them, along the whole industry chain. This Special Issue will comprise a collection of papers reporting recent advances in the research of woody oil species.

This Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Molecular biology of lipid synthesis of woody oil species;
Biochemical study of woody oil species;
Study on planting, production and processing technology of woody oil species;
Product quality evaluation of woody oil species;
Multipurpose research such as landscape, functional drinks, food industry, biopharmaceutical, etc., of woody oil species;
Industrial system of circulation and consumption of woody oil species;
Studies focusing on the health industry, such as the infrastructure and industrial planning, etc., of woody oil species;
Research on the eco-tourism industry, such as the landscape design, etc., of woody oil species.

Prof. Dr. Wenbin Guan
Prof. Dr. Yousry A. El-Kassaby
Guest Editors

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Keywords

woody oil species
natural products
forest product markets
extraction process
analytical methods
carbon
econometrics
forest economics

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2328 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Soil Properties and Nutrients on the Fruit Economic Parameters and Oil Nutrient Contents of Camellia oleifera

by Yanming Xu, Senwen Deng, Li Ma, Meiqun Li, Biyu Xie, Jing Gao, Minghao Shao and Yongzhong Chen

Forests 2023, 14(9), 1786; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091786 - 1 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1453

Abstract

The Camellia oleifera industry is hindered by the substandard quality of its fruits and the low yield of camellia seed oil. Although soil factors have been shown to affect the productivity of this plant, the relationship between C. oleifera characteristics and soil properties and nutrients remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated soil factors within the central distribution area of this species. Our findings revealed that this plant thrives in acidic soils with a medium cation exchange capacity. There were moderate differences in the main and medium element contents in the soils, while the variation of microelements was significant. Overall, C. oleifera cultivated soils were poor, with an uneven distribution of soil nutrients. Most of the shape characteristics of camellia fruits showed moderate variability, whereas dry kernel rate and oil content exhibited minor variability. The fatty acid profiles remained stable across different planting sites, but there were higher variations in the content of active compounds. Fruit shape characteristics were primarily influenced by soil properties, while soil nutrients mainly affected the seeds and kernels of the fruit. Minor fatty acid content could be influenced by soil properties and nutrients, except for total nitrogen (TN), which specifically affected the content of palmitic acid and oleic acid. There was no significant correlation between soil factors and sterols, polyphenols, and tocopherols, while squalene was affected by soil properties. Our study highlights the importance of considering soil properties and nutrients in the cultivation of C. oleifera and emphasizes the need for rational fertilizer application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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18 pages, 12784 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of lncRNAs and Their Regulatory Network Involved in Oil Biosynthesis in Developing Seeds of Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium)

by Yuhui Hong, Chengjiang Ruan, Yushi Luan and Jingbin Li

Forests 2023, 14(2), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020407 - 16 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1886

Abstract

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) seeds can have as high as 67% oil content and are especially rich in oleic acid, linoleic acid, and nervonic acid. Exploration of the lipid biosynthesis regulatory network is essential for increasing the yellowhorn oil content. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various plant biological processes; however, there is no report on the identification of lncRNAs involved in yellowhorn seed development and lipid biosynthesis affecting oil production. We performed whole transcriptome sequencing of yellowhorn seeds at four developmental stages and identified 16,920 putative lncRNAs. Among them, 325 lncRNAs were revealed to trans-regulate 58 key genes in fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis pathways. Of these, ECR-2–LNC_009778 was found to be involved in nervonic acid biosynthesis and DGAT-1–LNC_009778 was beneficial to TAG accumulation. sRNA-seq was performed, and 55 microRNAs (miRNAs) were found to target 26 genes involved in FA and TAG biosynthesis; miR396a-4 targets FAD2, affecting linoleic acid biosynthesis, and miR156f-5p targets PDAT-2, contributing to TAG accumulation. Interestingly, 30 lncRNA–miRNA–gene modules involved in FA and TAG biosynthesis were identified, in which the KCS11-1–miR156g-2–LNC_000849 module was found to participate in nervonic acid synthesis, and the DGAT-2–miR172j–LNC_005874 module was assumed to contribute to the accumulation of TAG. Our results constitute the first comprehensive identification of lncRNAs in developing seeds of yellowhorn and serve as a new theoretical reference for improving oil content in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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12 pages, 6596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Nitrogen Form on Root Activity and Nitrogen Uptake Kinetics in Camellia oleifera Seedlings

by Rui Wang, Zhilong He, Zhen Zhang, Ting Xv, Xiangnan Wang, Caixia Liu and Yongzhong Chen

Forests 2023, 14(1), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14010161 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1943

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of nitrogen form on root activity and nitrogen uptake kinetics of Camellia oleifera Abel. seedlings, providing a scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency and scientific fertilization in C. oleifera production. Taking one-year-old C. oleifera cultivar ‘Xianglin 27’ [...] Read more.

{NO}_{3}^{-}

{NH}_{4}^{+}

= 0:0, 10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 0:10) was applied in this study as the treatment conditions to investigate the effects of different nitrogen forms on root activity and nitrogen uptake kinetics in C. oleifera seedlings. Comparing the performance of nutrient solutions with different

{NO}_{3}^{-}

{NH}_{4}^{+}

ratios, the results showed that a mixed nitrogen source improved the root activity of C. oleifera seedlings based on total absorption area, active absorption area, active absorption area ratio, specific surface area, and active specific surface area. When

{NO}_{3}^{-}

{NH}_{4}^{+}

= 5:5, the total absorption area and active absorption area of the seedling roots reached the maximum. The results of uptake kinetic parameters showed that Vmax

{NH}_{4}^{+}

> Vmax

{NO}_{3}^{-}

and Km

{NO}_{3}^{-}

> Km

{NH}_{4}^{+}

, indicating that the uptake potential of ammonium–nitrogen by C. oleifera seedlings is greater than that of nitrate–nitrogen. The conclusion was that compared to either ammonium– or nitrate–nitrogen, the mixed nitrogen source was better for promoting the root activity of C. oleifera seedlings, and the best nitrate/ammonium ratio was 5:5. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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12 pages, 2999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Early Field Performance and Genetic Variation of Dalbergia tonkinensis, a Valuable Rosewood in Vietnam

by Bernard Dell, Pham Quang Thu, Nguyen Hoang Nghia, Phi Hong Hai, Nong Phuong Nhung and Nguyen Minh Chi

Forests 2022, 13(12), 1977; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13121977 - 23 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1788

Abstract

Dalbergia tonkinensis is being promoted in Vietnam for the future supply of prized wood for furniture and chemical extraction. Expansion of the plantation area requires a reliable source of quality seed. This study evaluates the field performance of progeny from mature mother trees in natural forests and urban environments. Trials were established in Tan Son and Doan Hung districts of Phu Tho province and assessed 3 years later. There were significant differences in growth and survival between provenances. The best families reached heights of >3.5 m and came from mother trees in a natural forest. The number of leaflets per leaf on mother trees was positively correlated with height (Ht) and diameter at breast height (Dbh) of the trial trees. The individual heritabilities (ĥ²) for Ht and Dbh were 0.39 and 0.49 for Tan Son, and 0.33 and 0.48 for Doan Hung, respectively. The coefficient of additive variation (CV_A) of Ht and Dbh were 36% and 58% for Tan Son, and 23% and 30% for Doan Hung, respectively. Interactions between the growth traits in the two trials were strongly correlated (R² = 0.88 for Ht, 0.90 for Dbh). These results identify D. tonkinensis gene sources with advantages for early growth performance in plantations. These superior genetics can be used for seed orchards, clonal propagation and for implementing a breeding program. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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16 pages, 967 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study of the Fatty Acid Composition of the Acer truncatum Bunge from Different Producing Areas

by Pan Chang, Jianwen Ma, Haodong Xin, Shan Wang, Zhuanxiang Chen, Xinyue Hong, Boyong Zhang and Lingli Li

Forests 2022, 13(9), 1409; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13091409 - 2 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1816

Abstract

Acer truncatum Bunge is a new type of economic forest tree species that produces nervonic acid. Since it was developed as a woody oil tree species, its oil value has attracted increasing attention. However, new germplasm resources with oil-type characteristics are still lacking. In this study, we studied the differences in the oil content and fatty acid composition of the seed kernel oil of A. truncatum from 11 natural forest-producing areas. The Kashi city of Xinjiang and Yangling city of Shaanxi Province can be used as the high-oil germplasm. The oil content of these two areas is more than 50%. The highest relative content of nervonic acid was 9.92% in the Chifeng city of Inner Mongolia, and Jianping city of Liaoning Province was the second, accounting for 9.84%. These two areas can be used as germplasm for the high nervonic acid. Finally, high-quality germplasms with a high oil content and high relative content of nervonic acid were selected from Yangling city of Shaanxi Province and Chifeng city of Inner Mongolia. The relative content of nervonic acid in the kernel oil content in fatty acids from 11 different producing areas of A. truncatum plants was negatively correlated with the content of each fatty acid, whereas the relative content of nervonic acid was extremely significantly positively correlated with the relative content of erucic acid. However, the correlations between the kernel oil content, relative nervonic acid content and environmental factors did not reach an extremely significant level, and only the oil content showed a significant positive correlation with the longitude and frost-free period. The high content of nervonic acid in this study is the first report of the highest relative content of nervonic acid in A. truncatum kernel oil. We believe that the A. truncatum double-high characteristic oil-type germplasm resources obtained by this screening provide a scientific basis for breeding, development and utilization in the A. truncatum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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14 pages, 3107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Population Genetics and Development of a Core Collection from Elite Germplasms of Xanthoceras sorbifolium Based on Genome-Wide SNPs

by Yali Wang and Yi Li

Forests 2022, 13(2), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13020338 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2064

Abstract

Xanthoceras sorbifolium is one of the most important species of woody oil. In this study, whole genome re-sequencing of 119 X. sorbifolium germplasms was conducted and, after filtering, 105,685,557 high-quality SNPs were identified, which were used to perform population genetics and core collection development analyses. The results from the phylogenetic, population structure, and principal component analyses showed a high level of agreement, with 119 germplasms being classified into three main groups. The germplasms were not completely classified based on their geographical origins and flower colors; furthermore, the genetic backgrounds of these germplasms were complex and diverse. The average polymorphsim information content (PIC) values for the three inferred groups clustered by structure analysis and the six classified color groups were 0.2445 and 0.2628, respectively, indicating a low to medium informative degree of genetic diversity. Moreover, a core collection containing 29.4% (35) out of the 119 X. sorbifolium germplasms was established. Our results revealed the genetic diversity and structure of X. sorbifolium germplasms, and the development of a core collection will be useful for the efficient improvement of breeding programs and genome-wide association studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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Review

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9 pages, 2227 KiB

Open AccessReview

Multipurpose Research from a Native Woody Oil Plant Xanthoceras sorbifolia in China

by Jiao Xiao, Lu Sun, Yingni Pan, Xiaolin Bai, Gang Chen, Xiuli Zhang, Xuexun Chen and Ning Li

Forests 2023, 14(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14010086 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2324

Abstract

Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge, an indigenous oilseed tree from China, is a major woody energy plant that has been used for biodiesel production for a long time. In the past decade, X. sorbifolia has become a hot research topic due to its diverse bioactivities, which include improving learning and memory deficits, killing sperm, stabilizing capillaries, lowering cholesterol, and rheumatism. This review aims to analyze a comprehensive appraisal of X. sorbifolia, including its history, traditional uses, biological activities, food value, economic value, and current applications, and provide instruction for promoting the multipurpose utilization of X. sorbifolia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Woody Oil Species: Past, Present and Future)

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