Essential fatty acid-deficient rats were fed gamma-linolenic acid (18: 3omega6) at 2% dietary energy and alpha-linolenic acid (18: 3omega3) at 0, 1-6, 2-8 and 4-0% of the dietary energy. 2. 18: 3omega3 at 1-6% apparently inhibits the synthesis of the C20 and C22 omega6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega6 LC-PUFA) metabolized from 18: 3omega6. 3. However, increasing the dietary levels of 18: 3omega3 from 1-6 to 4-0% has no further influence. 4. The results suggest that dietary 18: 3omega6 is an efficent precursor for the omega6 LC-PUFA synthesis even in the presence of 18: 3omega3.