Comparative analysis of floral volatiles between the ‘Hass’ variety and Antillean race avocado

Abstract

Mexico is the world's leading producer of ‘Hass’ avocado and the Antillean race avocado is grown in the south of the country. Avocado plant flowers produce a great variety of volatile compounds, which act as chemical signals to attract herbivores and pollinating insects, in addition to providing information for taxonomic purposes. The research aim was to identify and compare the floral volatiles between the ‘Hass’ and Antillean race avocado. Floral volatiles were captured by solid-phase microextraction, and identification was made by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty-five compounds were identified as constituents of the flower aromas; most were monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. α-Pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, (E)-linalool oxide, benzyl nitrile, lavandulol, methyl salicylate, α-copaene, β-gurjunene and γ-muurolene were only found in ‘Hass’ avocado flowers. The differences can help classify the two types of avocados analyzed into different races. Eventually, this information could be used to find out if these volatile compounds influence the interactions of avocado with its pollinating insects and herbivores.