Volatile compounds of unripe fruits from different cultivars (Persea americana Mill.)

Abstract Avocado is one of the most demanded fruits worldwide. Comparative studies on the morphology and genetics of avocado have pointed out similarities and differences between different cultivars. Plant volatile compounds may facilitate cultivar differentiation. The volatile composition of leaves, flowers and fruit mesocarp of different cultivars has been reported, but the volatile chemical composition of immature fruits is unknown. This information may be relevant for studies on the chemical ecology of seed boring insects. Therefore, in this work the volatile chemical composition of three avocado cultivars was compared. A total of 31 compounds in developing fruits of Mexican, Fuerte and Hass avocado cultivars were identified by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). Of these compounds, α-copaene, β-copaene and β-caryophyllene are among the most abundant in the extracts of the three avocado cultivars. Estragole, which has a characteristic aniseed aroma, was the most abundant compound in the Mexican cultivar (62.61%), while in Fuerte it was found in traces and in Hass it was not detected. The volatile profile of the Mexican cultivar was different from that of the Fuerte and Hass cultivars.