Analysis of Floral Scent Compounds and Classification by Scent Quality in Tulip Cultivars

Abstract

Floral scents of tulip (Tulipa L.) cultivars are highly diverse, ranging from citrus, honey, or grassy to medicinal. To clarify the diversity of the quality of tulip floral scents, we analyzed the scent compounds of 51 tulip cultivars with characteristic scents. The major scent compounds were five monoterpenoids (eucalyptol, linalool, d-limonene, trans-β-ocimene, and α-pinene), four sesquiterpenoids (caryophyllene, α-farnesene, geranyl acetone, and β-ionone), six benzenoids (acetophenone, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, 3,5-dimethoxytoluene (DMT), methyl salicylate, and 2-phenylethanol), and five fatty acid derivatives (decanal, 2-hexenal, cis-3-hexenol, cis-3-hexenyl acetate, and octanal). Tulip cultivars were classified into nine groups according to the composition of major scent components and sensory assessment of a living flower: group 1, anise; group 2, citrus; group 3, fruity; group 4, green; group 5, herbal; group 6, herbal-honey; group 7, rosy; group 8, spicy; and group 9, woody.