Abstract
Freesia hybrida is a group of cultivars in the genus Freesia with a strong floral scent composed of diverse volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, the VOCs of 34 F. hybrida were extracted and analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). A total of 164 VOCs whose relative contents were higher than 0.05% were detected. The numbers of VOCs in all germplasms differed between 11 to 38, and the relative contents ranged from 32.39% to 94.28%, in which most germplasms were higher than 80%. Terpenoids, especially monoterpenes, were the crucial type of VOCs in most germplasms, of which linalool and D-limonene were the most frequently occurring. Principal component analysis (PCA) clearly separated samples based on whether linalool was the main component, and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) clustered samples into 4 groups according to the preponderant compounds linalool and (E)-β-ocimene. Comparison of parental species and hybrids showed heterosis in three hybrids, and the inherited and novel substances suggested that monoterpene played an important role in F. hybrida floral scent. This study established a foundation for the evaluation of Freesia genetic resources, breeding for the floral aroma and promoting commercial application.
Highlights
Volatile organic compounds are a series of small-molecular products of plants’ secondary metabolism [1]
This study collected by far the most germplasms to explore the aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of F. hybrida
164 VOCs whose relative contents were higher than 0.05% were detected in 34 germplasms, and most germplasms contained many VOCs, as well as a high relative content of VOCs
Summary
Volatile organic compounds are a series of small-molecular (below 300 Da) products of plants’ secondary metabolism [1]. VOCs are the medium by which plants to interact with other organisms and environment [3]. Plants attract specific pollinators and seed disseminators by emitting species-specific signals to help increase sexual reproduction efficiency [4,5,6,7]. VOCs emitted from damaged plants tissues can directly influence antagonistic visitor physiology by toxic or repelling compounds, or can indirectly attract herbivores’. Volatiles can mediate plant-plant competition by allelopathy or chemical camouflage [3]. They can perform a function in antimicrobial or antifungal defense [8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
