Evaluation of volatile compounds from Chinese dwarf cherry (Cerasus humilis (Bge.) Sok.) germplasms by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Abstract The types and amounts of volatiles in denucleated fruit of 30 Chinese dwarf cherry germplasms were determined by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to assess the genotypic variation. Eighty-five volatiles were identified; hexyl acetate, 4-penten-1-yl acetate, prenyl acetate, ( Z )-pent-2-enyl hexanoate, geranyl acetate, n -butyl acetate, (3 Z )-3,7-dimethylocta-1,3,6-triene, geraniol, pent-2-enyl butanoate, ethyl caprylate, butyl hexanoate, and linalool were the main volatiles. The type and content of volatile varied with genotype. Red fruits had the most abundant aroma and vinicolor fruits exhibited the least. Principal component analysis clustered the 30 Chinese dwarf cherry germplasms into four groups: (1) 2 germplasms (NM2 and HN3) had high ester content, (2) 24 germplasms (BJ1–BJ6, HB1, HB2, HN1, HN2, NM1, NM3, SX1, SX2, SX4–SX6, SX8–SX10, SX12, SX13, SX15, and SX16) contained mainly esters, lactones, and terpenes, (3) 2 germplasms (SX11 and SX14) had high ester and lactone content, and (4) 2 germplasms (SX3 and SX7) had high ester and terpene content.