International Journal of PharmTech Research CODEN (USA): IJPRIF, ISSN: 0974-4304, ISSN(Online): 2455-9563 Vol.9, No.10, pp 420-431, 2016 Influence of Selenium and Boron on Oil Production and Fatty Acids Composition of Canola (Brassica napus L.) Plant Irrigated with Saline Water E. M. Badawy 1 , Eman E. Aziz 2* , A. H. Hanafy Ahmed 3 and Hend Fouad 2 1 Ornamental Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt 2 Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre (12622), Cairo, Egypt 3 Agricultural Botany Department, Plant Physiology Section, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt Abstract : Salinity is a major factor that influences rapeseed production. Canola is now the third most important source of edible oil in the world and has many uses in modern medicine. Selenium and boron are required by plants in small quantities that involve several physiological and biochemical processes in plants. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of selenium (0, 2 and 4 mg l -1 as sodium selenate) and boron (0, 2, and 4 mg l -1 as boric acid) on oil production and fatty acids composition of Brassica napus plants irrigated with saline water (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 dS m -1 ). Data revealed that salinity significantly decreased oil content of canola and the highest values (0.43 and 1.00 g plant - 1 in the 1 st and 2 nd seasons, respectively) were obtained from the lowest level of salinity (2.5 dS m -1 ) while increasing salinity up to 7.5 dS m -1 resulted in the minimum values of oil content (0.25). Plants irrigated with the lowest level of salinity (2.5 dS m -1 ) and sprayed with selenium at 4 mg l -1 and boron at 2 mg l -1 gave the highest oil content in the 2 nd season (1.94 g plant -1 ). Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry analysis pointed out that canola oil was characterized by containing a high relative concentration of unsaturated fatty acids. The major monounsaturated fatty acids was Oleic acid (46.2 - 75.6 %), followed by cis-11-Eicosenoic acid (1.4 - 11.5 %) and Erucic acid (0.8 - 10.8 %). Linoleic acid (11.2 - 24.8 %) was the main component of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Whereas the main saturated fatty acids were Palmitic acid (1.0 - 5.0 %) and Stearic acid (1.4 - 3.0 %). The highest relative concentrations of Oleic acid (63.3 and 64.4 %) were recorded with salinity at 2.5 and 5 dS m -1 , respectively. While increasing salinity level up to 7.5 dS m -1 decreased Oleic acid (60.5%) and increased Linoleic acid (20.1%). Moreover, applying selenium at 2 mg l -1 and boron at 4 mg l -1 with plants irrigated with the lowest level of salinity 2.5 dS m -1 recorded the highest value of Oleic acid (75.6 %) and the lowest value of Linoleic acid (11.2 %), while increasing salinity up to 7.5 dS m -1 resulted in the maximum values of Linoleic acid (24.4%) and Palmitic acid (5.0%). The application of selenium at 4 mg l -1 and boron at 4 mg l -1 to plants irrigated with the lowest level of salinity (2.5 dS m -1 ) increased refractive index, specific gravity, saponification number, ester number and iodine number and decreased acid number. Canola oil has high antioxidant activity which gave the greatest value (82.5 %) with plants irrigated with the lowest level of salinity (2.5 dS m -1 ) and sprayed with selenium at 4 mg l -1 and boron at 2 mg l -1 . Key words: Canola, salinity, selenium, boron, oil production, fatty acids, antioxidant activity.