Volatiles emitted from flowers of γ-radiated and nonradiated Jasminum polyanthum Franch. in situ

Volatile compounds emitted from flowers of Jasminum polyanthum Pepita in situ were collected by dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 32 compounds were identified. The flower scent was dominated by benzyl acetate (57.8%), p-cresol (12.2%), (E)-isoeugenol (9.7%), eugenol (3.5%), 2-methoxy-p-cresol (3.1%), linalool (3.0%), phenethyl acetate (2.1%), and (Z)-S-hexenyl butyrate (1.9%). The strong scent of Pepita reduces its production potentialities as a pot plant, thus the possibility to reduce or modify the emission of volatiles from Pepita by mutagenesis was investigated. The average total yields of volatiles in Pepita were approximately 2800 ng flower-1 h-1, and in one γ-radiated clone a significantly lower yield of 1050 ng flower-1 h-1 was found. The volatile profiles of the γ-radiated plants were made up of the same 32 compounds found in Pepita. Significant differences in the headspace composition between Pepita and γ-radiated plants were found for some of the major volatiles.