Background: Plants are greatly affected by pedoclimatic conditions. They can alter the physiology of plants and
affect seeds agro-morphological and physicochemical characteristics. It is therefore conceivable that tree species
which have a potential as oil/fat producing plants are affected by pedoclimatic conditions variability. This study aims
to evaluate the effect of pedoclimatic conditions variation on the physicochemical characteristics and the agro-indus-
trial potential of three oilseeds fruits from Burkina Faso: Balanites aegyptiaca, Sclerocarya birrea and Lannea microcarpa.
Results: A characterization of the size, chemical composition and weight of 100 seeds of the three native oilseeds
from Banfora (Sudanian zone), Ouagadougou (Sudano-Sahelian zone) and Ouahigouya (Sahelian zone) was car-
ried out. Results showed that seed size, seed weight and chemical composition varied significantly according to the
pedoclimatic zone of the collection significant correlations between seed size, 100-seed weight, total ash and also
for seed oil content and moisture have also been revealed. Principal component analysis (PCA) associated increases
in seed size and total ash content with high annual rainfall and low temperature areas, while increases in seed oil
content were associated with low rainfall and high annual temperature areas.
Conclusion: Seed size and seed weight were associated with high rainfall and low temperature, while high tempera-
ture and low rainfall were associated with oil accumulation in the seeds. However, the limit number of replications
of physicochemical characteristics analyses, a limitation of the study, does not allow an exhaustive conclusion to be
drawn from the study.

Pedoclimatic Seeds traits Oilseeds