Accumulation of storage products in oat during kernel development

Lipids, proteins and starch are the main storage products in oat seeds. As a first step in elucidating the regulatory mechanisms behind the deposition of these compounds, two different oat varieties, 'Freja' and 'Matilda', were analysed during kernel development. In both cultivars, the majority of the lipids accumulated at very early stage of development but Matilda accumulated about twice the amount of lipids compared to Freja. Accumulation of proteins and starch started also in the early stage of kernel development but, in contrast to lipids, continued over a considerably longer period. The high-oil variety Matilda also accumulated higher amounts of proteins than Freja. The starch content in Freja kernels was higher than in Matilda kernels and the difference was most pronounced during the early stage of development when oil synthesis was most active. Oleosin accumulation continued during the whole period of kernel development.