ARS | Publication request: Survey of ex situ fruit and leaf volatiles from several Pistacia cultivars grown in California

Submitted to: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 19, 2010
Publication Date: January 12, 2011
Citation: Roitman, J.N., Merrill, G.B., Beck, J.J. 2011. Survey of ex situ fruit and leaf volatiles from several Pistacia cultivars grown in California. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 91(5):934-942.

Interpretive Summary: California is the second largest cultivator of pistachios producing over 375 million pounds and revenue of $787 million in 2009. Despite the agricultural and economic importance of pistachios little is known regarding their actual volatile emissions, which are of interest due to their potential roles as semiochemicals to insect pests. Semiochemicals are chemical cues that can modulate insect behaviors such as attraction, acceptance or rejection of a plant part for feeding, ovipositional activity, and/or larval development. The ex situ volatile analysis of leaves from Pistacia atlantica, P. chinensis, P. lentiscus, P. palaestina, P. terebinthus, P. vera, and P. weimannifolia demonstrated emission differences between species as well as between female and male leaves. Ex situ volatile analysis describes the collection of volatiles from plant parts that have been removed from the plant and taken to the lab. Leaves from the female P. vera cultivars Bronte, Damghan, II, III, Kerman, and Ohadi, was well as the fruit of P. atlantica, P. chinensis, P. lentiscus, P. palaestina, P. terebinthus, and P. vera (cultivars II, III, Kaleh, Kerman, Momtaz, and Ohadi) showed differences in the composition and quantity of major volatiles. The compounds in highest quantities from the various analyses were sabinene, delta3-carene, b-myrcene, a-phellandrene, limonene, (Z)-ocimene, (E)-b-ocimene, and a-terpinolene. This is the first ex situ survey of fruit and leaf volatile emissions from California-grown Pistacia species and a number of corresponding cultivars. The study provides an overview of the major and minor volatile emissions and also offers evidence of chemotypes, chemicals that are distinctive to a species, based on monoterpenes. The results highlight the dissimilarity of major components detected between ex situ volatile collection and essential oil analysis.

Technical Abstract: California is the second largest cultivator of pistachios producing over 375 million pounds and revenue of $787 million in 2009. Despite the agricultural and economic importance of pistachios little is known regarding their actual volatile emissions, which are of interest due to their potential roles as semiochemicals to insect pests. The ex situ volatile analysis of leaves from Pistacia atlantica, P. chinensis, P. lentiscus, P. palaestina, P. terebinthus, P. vera, and P. weimannifolia demonstrated emission differences between species as well as between female and male leaves. Leaves from the female P. vera cultivars Bronte, Damghan, II, III, Kerman, and Ohadi, was well as the fruit of P. atlantica, P. chinensis, P. lentiscus, P. palaestina, P. terebinthus, and P. vera (cultivars II, III, Kaleh, Kerman, Momtaz, and Ohadi) showed differences in the composition and quantity of major volatiles. The compounds in highest quantities from the various analyses were sabinene, delta3-carene, b-myrcene, a-phellandrene, limonene, (Z)-ocimene, (E)-b-ocimene, and a-terpinolene. This is the first ex situ survey of fruit and leaf volatile emissions from California-grown Pistacia species and a number of corresponding cultivars. The study provides an overview of the major and minor volatile emissions and also offers evidence of chemotypes based on monoterpenes. The results highlight the dissimilarity of major components detected between ex situ volatile collection and essential oil analysis.