Effects of aspect on age dependent quality and quantity of mountain almond (Amygdalus arabica Olivier) oil (case study: Karebas, Cheharmahal-va-Bakhtiary)

Heart disease and cancer preventive effects of nut kernels are a well-known feature of the Persian diet. We hypothesized that the quality and quantity of mountain almond (Amygdalus Arabica Olivier) oil in Zagros forests changes as the mother tree locations varies on different aspects. In the current study, sampling was carried out on five healthy trees at each 5 different crown diameter classes from 0.5 to 4 meter were selected with 0.5-meter interval. The trees distribution was uniform over two distinct Northern and Southern aspects. For each tree, 10g nut kernel was sampled in laboratory. Macro elements and fatty acid contents were evaluated after a Soxhlet extraction on each kernel meal. Data were analyzed in Excel and SAS software package. The oil concentration was significantly higher in kernels coming from Southern slopes; in average, 15.76% against 14.84% of those from Northern slopes. The maximum (18.94%) and minimum (10.94%) oil contents were belonged to the trees with a crown diameter of 4 and 2, respectively. The highest potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen contents were detected in kernels collected on Southern slopes. However, the highest content of calcium in kernels was obtained from Northern slopes.