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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266424
Title: Volatile composition of four southern highbush blueberry cultivars and effect of growing location and harvest date

Author
item DU, XIAOFEN - University Of Florida
item Plotto, Anne
item SONG, MEI - University Of Florida
item OLMSTEAD, JAMES - University Of Florida
item ROUSEFF, RUSSELL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2011
Publication Date: 7/2/2011
Citation: Du, X., Plotto, A., Song, M., Olmstead, J., Rouseff, R. 2011. Volatile composition of four southern highbush blueberry cultivars and effect of growing location and harvest date. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 59:8347-8357.

Interpretive Summary: Southern highbush Blueberries are being increasingly planted in Florida. They have a market advantage over blueberries produced in other areas by their unique harvesting window, from April to June. Furthermore, new cultivars have been introduced recently. This study explores volatile composition of southern highbush blueberries grown in two Florida locations and harvested multiple times. One cultivar, 'Primadonna', had a large variation with location and harvest date. On the contrary, 'Jewel' was very stable.

Technical Abstract: Volatile composition of four southern highbush blueberry cultivars (‘Primadonna’, ‘Jewel’, ‘Snowchaser’, and Kestrel™) grown in two locations (Gainesville and Haines City, Florida) and harvested multiple times was investigated. Volatiles were extracted for chromatographic analysis using a 2-cm, tri-phase SPME fiber, and quantified using internal and external standards. A total of 42 volatiles were identified, including 9 esters, 11 terpenoids, 11 aldehydes, 7 alcohols, and 4 ketones. Twelve of these volatiles are reported for the first time in blueberries. Among them, 10 volatiles were positively identified, including (Z)-3-hexenal, (E, E)-2, 4-hexadienal, (E, Z)-2, 6-nonadienal, (E, E)-2, 4-nonedienal, methyl 2-methylbutanoate, butyl acetate, 2-methylbutyl acetate, and geranyl acetate. Another two, (Z)-dihydrolinalool oxide and (E)-dihydrolinalool oxide, were tentatively identified. The dominant volatiles in these cultivars were aldehydes, accounting for 73-91% of total volatiles. The second most abundant volatiles were terpenoids and esters, accounted for 3.2-18.5% and 0.4-15.5% of total volatiles, respectively. The volatile content in each blueberry cultivar varied in quality and quantity, and resulted in a distinct volatile profile. There were location and harvest date effects on some compounds for ‘Primadonna’, but ‘Jewel’ volatile production was stable regardless of location and harvest.