Floral volatile composition of four species of Vaccinium.

FLORAL products; VOLATILE organic compounds; VACCINIUM; GAS chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS); TERPENES; ETHYLBENZENE; PHENYLPROPANOIDS

The floral volatile composition of four species of Vaccinium was profiled to asses the diversity of the floral chemistry within this genus. Flowers of Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton, Vaccinium varingiaefolium Miq., Vaccinium arboreum Marsh., and Vaccinium poasanum Donn. Sm. were sampled from three or more plants, and volatiles were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy. A total of 45 volatile compounds were detected in the air (headspace) surrounding flowers including 40 from V. angustifolium, 34 for V. varingiaefolium, 37 for V. arboreum, and 17 for V. poasanum. Of the volatile compounds identified, 34 were terpenoids, 6 were benzoids and phenylpropanoids, 4 were aliphatics, and 1 was a miscellaneous cyclic compound. Terpenoids accounted for 98%, 80%, 76%, and 67% of the total volatiles for V. angustifolium, V. varingiaefolium, V. arboreum, and V. poasanum, respectively. The most abundant volatile compound emitted from the flowers of each species was α-pinene for V. angustifolium (23%) and V. arboreum (63%), methyl benzoate for V. varingiaefolium (18%), and ethyl benzene for V. poasanum (21%). Substantial variation was observed in the floral volatile composition of these four Vaccinium species, which may reflect their diverse ecological origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'auteur a établi le profil de la composition en substances volatiles florales chez quatre espèces de Vaccinium, afin d'évaluer la diversité de la chimie florale dans ce genre. Il a échantillonné les fleurs des Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton, Vaccinium varingiaefolium Miq., Vaccinium arboreum Marsh. et Vaccinium poasanum Donn. Sm., en utilisant trois plants dont il a récolté les substances volatiles avant de les analyser par chromatographie gazeuse couplée à un spectrographe de masse. Il a décelé 45 substances volatiles dans l'air (espace de tête) entourant les fleurs, incluant 40 du V. angustifolium, 34 du V. varingiaefolium, 37 du V. arboreum et 17 du V. poasanum. Parmi les substances volatiles identifiées, 34 appartiennent aux terpénoïdes, 6 aux benzoïdes et phénylpropoanoïdes, 4 aux composés aliphatiques et 1 composé cyclique diversifié. Les terpénoïdes constituent 98 %, 80 %, 76 % et 67 % des substances volatiles totales chez les V. angustifolium, V. varingiaefolium, V. arboreum, et V. poasanum respectivement. Le composé volatil le plus abondant émis par les fleurs de chaque espèce est l'α-pinène avec 23 % chez le V. angustifolium et 63 % chez le V. arboreum, le benzoate de méthyle avec 18 % chez le V. varingiaefolium et le benzène éthylique avec 21 % chez le V. poasanum. On observe une variation substantielle dans les composés volatils floraux chez ces quatre espèces de Vaccinium, pouvant refléter leurs diverses origines écologiques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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