Abstract Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ETS, ITS and atpB - rbcL spacer sequences assessed the phylogenetic status of the southern Brazil sea asparagus species of the genus Salicornia (Salicornioideae, Amaranthaceae). Accessions of Patos Lagoon estuary (32° S) were obtained from wild plants and two pure line lineages, selected from contrasting prostrate (BTH1) and decumbent (BTH2) ecomorphotypes found locally. Patos Lagoon wild plants, BTH1 and BTH2 f4 progenies showed 100% identical sequences for the atpB - rbcL and ITS spacers, only two mutations for ETS. Comparison of the sequences of these three markers with GenBank records confirmed the identity of Brazilian accessions as Salicornia neei . Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis of ETS sequences indicated that the southern Brazilian accessions of Salicornia certainly are not close to any of the Salicornia ambigua accessions in GenBank, which are restricted to the northern hemisphere, nor are they related to any Salicornia fruticosa/Salicornia perennis clade accessions, which are also restricted to Eurasia. All above cited species have been wrongly applied to the southern Brazil sea asparagus.

Abstract In several countries halophytes are commercially cultivated in low saline or even irrigated with seawater, as well as with saline aquaculture effluent, like a sea asparagus Sarcocornia ambigua, that show a biotechnological potential for bioactive compounds production. However, their recovery from matrix is sometimes inefficient because the lignocellulosic materials difficult the solvent action when drastic conditions are not applied. The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was optimized by a central composite rotational design for recovery free phenolic compounds (FPC) from the sea asparagus S. ambigua. Optimum conditions were validated and compared with orbital shaker extraction for S. ambigua, other Brazilian halophytes (Apium graveolens, Myrsine parvifolia, Paspalum vaginatum, and Schinus terebinthifolius), soybean and rice bran. Except for P. vaginatum, soybean and rice bran, UAE yielded 18-29% higher FPC than that of the orbital shaker. Besides this analytical performance UAE method optimized is faster than the orbital shaker, providing shorter exposure of the analyst to the extractor solvent and applicable in matrices with different compositions. It was also demonstrated that halophytes species showed to be good natural sources of FPC in a better way as soybean and rice bran. This work was the first to report FPC in M. parvifolia and P. vaginatum.

Sarcocornia ambigua é uma planta herbácea perene, nativa da América do Sul e uma nova oleaginosa com potencial para forrageira, cultivada por irrigação direta com água salgada. Suas pequenas sementes se desenvolvem dentro dos segmentos do seu caule cilíndrico sem folhas e, durante a colheita, as sementes se misturam com o material celulósico remanescente de difícil separação. Este trabalho avalia diferentes métodos de extração e a composição dos ácidos graxos esterificados na farinha de caules férteis de S. ambigua, visando uma matéria-prima alternativa e um maior rendimento lipídico. Um maior rendimento lipídico foi obtido utilizando uma mistura (2:1)(v/v) de clorofórmio e metanol (5,2% da massa seca). Os ácidos graxos poli-insaturados mais abundantes na farinha foram o ácido linoleico (C18:2; 21,4%) e o ácido oleico (C18:1; 18,3%). Cinquenta e seis porcento dos lipídios da farinha de S. ambigua foram saturados e o ácido palmítico (C16:0) foi a principal fração (19,8%). Os ácidos graxos de cadeias longas (≥ C20) representaram 29,5% dos lipídios da farinha. Os ácidos graxos de cadeias longas mais abundantes foram o ácido behênico (C22:0; 7,1%), lignocérico (C24:0; 5,3%) e o ácido montânico (C28:0; 4,0%). A porcentagem de lipídios saturados na farinha de S. ambigua é significativamente maior do que os óleos comerciais com perfil nutricional MUFA e alguns dos lipídios encontrados possuem propriedades bioativas reconhecidas.

Sarcocornia ambigua is a perennial glasswort, native of South America and a potential new seed-oil crop and forage for direct irrigation with salt water. Small seeds develop inside fertile segments of its cylindrical leafless shoots and, at the harvest, seeds are typically mixed with remnant cellulose material difficult to separate. This work evaluated different extraction methods and the composition of total esterified fatty acids in a meal of ground fertile shoots of S. ambigua, seeking for an alternative primary matter and larger yield of total lipids. The highest lipid yield was obtained with a chloroform:methanol mixture (2:1)(v/v) (5.2% of dry weight). The most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids in the meal were linoleic acid (C18:2; 21.4%) and oleic acid (C18:1; 18.3%). Fifty six percent of the lipids in S. ambigua meal were saturated and palmitic acid (C16:0) was the main fraction (19.8%). Long-chain fatty acids (≥ C20) represented 29.5% of the lipids. Most abundant long-chain fatty acids were behenic acid (C22:0; 7.1%), lignoceric acid (C24:0; 5.3%) and montanic acid (C28:0; 4.0%). The percentage of saturated lipids in S. ambigua meal was higher than that of vegetable oils with a MUFA nutritional profile and some of these lipids have known bioactive properties.

Sarcocornia ambigua (Michx.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo é a espécie mais amplamente distribuída na América do Sul deste gênero de erva-sal com hábito perene e apresenta um grande potencial biotecnológico como uma cultivar capaz de ser irrigada com água salgada. As composições qualitativas e quantitativas dos ácidos graxos foram determinadas nas sementes de S. ambigua cultivada no extremo sul do Brasil. A extração de óleo das sementes com hexano obteve um rendimento de lipídeos totais de 13%. A análise em um sistema cromatográfico GC-DIC (cromatografia em fase gasosa com detecção por ionização de chama) dos extratos de hexano do óleo das sementes mostrou cinco picos proeminentes: 42,9% ácido linoleico-Ω6 (18:2), 20,4% ácido palmítico (16:0), 18,5% ácido oleico (18:1), 4,5% ácido esteárico (18:0) e 4,0% ácido linolênico-Ω3 (18:3). O somatório dos ácidos graxos saturados ácido palmítico e ácido esteárico (24,8%) no óleo de sementes de S. ambigua excedeu valores citados para óleos de uso comercial, bem como do óleo da semente da erva-sal de hábito anual Salicornia bigelovii, cultivada comercialmente. Não foram encontrados ácidos graxos indesejáveis no óleo da semente de S. ambigua e este poderia ser recomendado para o consumo animal ou produção de biodiesel.

Sarcocornia ambigua (Michx.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo is the most widely distributed species of the perennial genus of glasswort in South America, and it shows great biotechnological potential as a salt-water irrigated crop. Qualitative and quantitative compositions of fatty acids were determined in the seeds of S. ambigua that were cultivated in southern Brazil. Hexane extraction of the seed oil from S. ambigua yielded 13% of total lipids. The GC-FID (Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector) analysis of the hexane extracts showed five prominent peaks for the seed oil: 42.9 wt.% linoleic-Ω6 acid (18:2), 20.4 wt.% palmitic acid (16:0), 18.5 wt.% oleic acid (18:1), 4.5 wt.% stearic acid (18:0) and 4.0 wt.% linolenic-Ω3 acid (18:3). The sum of the saturated palmitic and stearic acids (24.8%) in S. ambigua seed oil exceeded values cited for commercial oils use, as well as the seed oil from the cultivated annual glasswort Salicornia bigelovii. No undesirable fatty acid components were found in S. ambigua seed oil, and it could be recommended for animal consumption or biofuel production.