Volatile Components in Different Floral Organs and Flowering Stages of Camellia sasanqua ‘Dongxing’

Purpose The aim was to determine the main volatile components and their changes of ‘Dongxing’ of Camellia sasanqua cultivar, to provide a basis for the further development of C. sasanqua.

Method The volatile components and their relative content emitting in different florescence and flower parts of C. sasanqua ‘Dongxing’ were studied by solid phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Results Acetophenone, cis-linaloloxide and linalool are the main volatile components, and the relative content of acetophenone increased gradually during the flowering, the relative contents of cis-linaloloxide and linalool increased firstly and then decreased. With the flower blooming and senescence, the relative contents of aromatic hydrocarbon, phenols and alkanes components decreased gradually, but the relative content of alkene, aldehydes and ketones components increased. The relative content of alcohol components increased firstly and then decreased. Totally 40 components were identified in petals of ‘Dongxing’, 27 in stamens and 18 in pistils. Stamens were the main flower parts of volatile components releasing. The main volatile component types of petals included alkenes, phenols, aldehydes and ketones components, and those of stamens included aldehydes and ketones, then alcohols. The component types of pistils were aldehydes and ketones, alcohols, then phenols and alkanes.

Conclusion Acetophenone, cis-linaloloxide and linalool are the main volatile components, petals or stamens were the main flower parts of volatile components release.