Glucosinolate Content Change during Seed Development and Maturation of Meadowfoam.

White meadowfoam, Limnanthes alba (Limnanthaceae), is an annual dicot oilseed crop grown in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. After extracting the oil, the seed meal contains a chemical compound called glucosinolate (GSL). The GSL is metabolizd to isothiocyanates and nitriles, some of which have alleopathic effects and have potential for the use as bio-herbicide in organic farming. The objective of this study was to measure the GSL levels during seed development and maturation to determine the optimum time to harvest the crop with the highest level of GSL. Seeds from two cultivars, Ross and MF189 were planted in two locations, Lewis Brown and Hyslop farms near Corvallis, Oregon. Standard cultural practices were followed. Seed samples were collected from the last four weeks before harvest and were used in the GSL analysis. The GSL contents were measured by the HPLC. The GSL concentration of both varieties in both locations remained 0.0 - 4.5 µmol g-1 seed 2-3 wk before harvest, and then increased to 69.16 – 103.9 µmol g-1 seed at harvest maturity in 2013 and in 2014.