Content of Some Nutrients in the Core of the Core of the Peanut Germplasm Collection

The usefulness of core collections of germplasm collections has been well established. The U.S. germplasm collection for peanuts was selectively reduced based on morphological characteristics to a mini core or “Core of the Core” collection composed of 112 of the 7432 accessions in the whole collection to make it more efficient for study. Of these samples, 108 were available from one location in the same year and were therefore exposed to one set of environmental conditions wherein genetic variability could also be examined. These samples were analyzed for total and individual amino acid content, fatty acid content, tocopherols, and folic acid content. These data provide a starting point for establishing nutrient composition within these accessions and provide an early indication of currently important characteristics in these lines which might be suited for use in random breeding initiatives.