Investigation of extractable oil from Brant's oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) acorn in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Forests

Brant`s oak(Quercus brantii Lindl.) is the most important woody species of Zagros forest ecosystems. Acorn of Brant`s oak is important as a nutrition source with its oil containing an appreciable amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore proper estimation of the amount of extractable acorn oil can promote an opportunity of additional income for local communities. This research was carried out in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province to study the extractable oil from acorns of Brant`s oak. Initially 68 plots of 0.1 ha each were randomly established in the 10000 ha forest region. Quantitative traits of all trees were measured. Then acorns of 20 sample trees in different diameter classes in two groups of single-stem trees and sprout-clumps were collected and dried in an oven at 80 °C for 2 days. The oils of the dried powder from acorn were extracted by the Soxhlet method using petroleum ether (bp 40-60 °C), and were expressed on a dry-weight basis. The results indicated that the oil content of acorns was 8.56% (±0.89). Furthermore, the study site showed a 9.7 kg per ha potential of oil production. The most abundant fatty acids included oleic, linoleic and palmitic.