SEASONAL VARIATION OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FATTY ACID PROFILE OF OVARY IN WILD COMMON CARP (CYPRINUS CARPIO) OF SOUTHEASTERN CASPIAN SEA

Chemical composition and fatty acid profile of common carp's gonad (ovary) were assessed. Protein, lipid, fatty acid profile and moisture content were determined during 4 seasons' summer, autumn, winter in 2007 and spring in 2008. For each season 10 samples were examined. Average of gonadosomatic index ill wild common carp was 7.53±5.02. Proximate composition of ovary during the study period showed the lipid at 8.06±2.20 protein at 23.26±4.85 and moisture at 67.12±3.85. The results showed lipid content of wild fish ovary increased from summer to spring (summer 6.875±0.53 autumn 7.07±2.12 winter 7.96±1.22 spring 9.44±3.62) protein content also increased from summer to spring (summer 12.920.09; autumn 23±1.32 winter 25.16±0.63 spring 27.11±0.63), moisture content decreased in this period (summer 75.235±1.75 autumn 68.25±2.28 winter 65.685±0.40; spring 63.43±0.11). Significant differences (P0.05). Saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased from summer to spring (spawning season). The major fatty acids identifiedin common carp ovary were Oleic (C18:1), palmitic (C16:0), Docosahexanoic acid (C22:6 DHA), Palmitoleic (C16:1), Arachidonic, AA (C20:4), Stearic (C18:0), Eicosapentaenoicacid (C20:5 EPA) and Linoleic (C18:2) in all seasons. Lipid, protein and w3 PUPA increased during gonad maturation. It seems that these resources of energy are necessary for embryogenesis.