Chemometric approach (flavonoids) in an automatic recognition of modern rose cultivars

Abstract The petal flavonoids of 18 closely related cultivars of rose with almost similar flower colour were investigated. All were pigmented primarily by cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside (more than 95% of total anthocyanins). Among flavonols, quercetin always exceeded 65%. Using a chemometric approach with principal component and cluster analysis, it was possible to distinguish clearly each of the 18 cultivars on the basis of their flavonol glycoside patterns (revealed by high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC). Introduction, in a given variety, of new individuals sampled over a year increased intra-variability in that variety but did not affect the recognition of cultivars.