Integrative chemometric profiling of biochemical composition, fatty acids, minerals, organic acids, and carbohydrates in wild olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. oleaster) genotypes for quality-oriented selection

Abstract

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the compositional diversity of wild olive ( Olea europaea L. subsp. oleaster ) genotypes through an integrated analysis of biochemical traits, fatty acid composition, mineral elements, organic acids, and carbohydrates, and to identify superior genotypes using chemometric approaches. A total of 150 genotypes collected from the Eastern Mediterranean region were analyzed, revealing significant genotypic variation across all evaluated traits ( p < 0.05). Wild olive genotypes exhibited striking biochemical diversity, with up to 2.4-fold variation in total phenolics, 20-fold variation in flavonoids, and substantial differences in fatty acid profiles (oleic acid: 55–83%). Genotype-specific differences in antioxidant capacity, tocopherol content, and primary metabolites were also observed. Multivariate analysis identified ‘Oleaster-39’, ‘Oleaster-133’, and ‘Oleaster-140’ as promising genotypes based on their favorable oil quality- and stability-related compositional profiles. Overall, the findings reveal extensive biochemical and metabolic diversity within wild olive germplasm and demonstrate the value of integrated compositional profiling and chemometric analysis for identifying promising genotypes with desirable quality attributes. However, the identified superior genotypes should be further validated across different environments, growing seasons, maturity stages, and clonal propagation trials before their large-scale utilization in breeding programs. The selected genotypes may serve as promising germplasm resources for future breeding and conservation efforts targeting improved oil quality, nutritional value, and functional properties, pending further genetic and multi-environment validation.