Changes in fatty acid composition of sulfolipid and phospholipids during maturation of alfalfa.

Lipids were extracted from alfalfa samples collected at intervals over the growing season and were fractionated to yield pure sulfolipid. In the sulfolipid and in a phospholipid fraction the major fatty acids were palmitic, linolenic, and linoleic, of which the palmitic acid increased in proportion during the season while the proportion of linolenic acid dropped. The sulfolipid contained more linolenic acid and less palmitic and linoleic acids than the phospholipids, and had a greater rate of change of fatty acid composition.