Traditional Rosa damascena flower harvesting practices evaluated through GC/MS metabolite profiling of flower volatiles

Abstract Industrial cultivation of Rosa damascena and rose oil production is a centuries-old industry based on well-established traditional hand-picking of rose flowers. Here the traditional rose harvesting practices were evaluated through GC/MS analysis of the volatile compounds accumulation in R. damascena flowers at eight different developmental stages, flower buds with arrested development and flowers collected at six daytime points related to flower picking. The accumulation of 80 out of 100 volatile compounds was significantly influenced by the stage of flower development while 62 out of 103 compounds were significantly influenced by the daytime period of flower collection. Principal component analysis showed close clustering of the flower developmental stages and daytime periods preferable for flower harvesting and production of high quality and quantity of rose oil. Taken together the obtained results provide further support to the currently applied traditional rose flower harvesting practices. The possible applications of more precise flower harvesting for fine modulation of rose oil composition and reduction levels of the unwanted compound methyl eugenol are discussed.