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Analysis of the Volatiles Emitted by Whole Flowers and Isolated Flower Organs of the Carob Tree Using HS-SPME-GC/MS

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Abstract

The volatiles emitted by fresh whole flowers and isolated flower organs of male, female, and hermaphrodite carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua L.; Leguminosae) were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The headspace of carob flowers is mainly constituted of high amounts of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, and more than 25 compounds were identified. The gender and cultivar affected both the qualitative profile and the relative abundances of the volatiles of whole flowers and isolated floral organs. Linalool and its derivatives (cis-linalool furan oxide, 2,2,6-trimethyl-3-keto-6-vinyltetrahydropyran, cis-linalool pyran oxide, and trans-linalool furan oxide), α-pinene, and α-farnesene were the dominant volatiles. Female flowers had a higher diversity of volatile compounds than males and hermaphrodites, but a lower abundance of the major ones. Similarly, the floral scent of female flowers of cv. Mulata had a higher content of volatiles but a lower abundance of the major ones, when compared to cv. Galhosa. In each of the three gender types of flowers, the nectary disks seemed to be the major source of volatiles.

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Acknowledgments

L. Custódio acknowledges a grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (grant SFRH/BD/1274/2000).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Engenharia de Recursos Naturais, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal

    Luísa Custódio, Sandra Gonçalves & Anabela Romano

  2. Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Ed. C8, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    Hugo Serra & José Manuel F. Nogueira

  3. Centro de Ciências Moleculares e Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Ed. C8, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    José Manuel F. Nogueira

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  1. Luísa Custódio
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  2. Hugo Serra
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  3. José Manuel F. Nogueira
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  4. Sandra Gonçalves
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Correspondence to Anabela Romano.

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Custódio, L., Serra, H., Nogueira, J.M.F. et al. Analysis of the Volatiles Emitted by Whole Flowers and Isolated Flower Organs of the Carob Tree Using HS-SPME-GC/MS. J Chem Ecol 32, 929–942 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9044-9

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