Patterns of volatile diversity yield insights into the genetics and biochemistry of the date palm fruit volatilome

Volatile organic compounds are key components of the fruit metabolome that contribute to traits such as aroma and taste. Here we report on the diversity of 90 flavor-related fruit traits in date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) including 80 volatile organic compounds, which collectively represent the fruit volatilome, as well as 6 organic acids, and 4 sugars in tree-ripened fruits. We characterize these traits in 148 date palms representing 135 varieties using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography. We discovered new volatile compounds unknown in date palm including 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, an attractant of the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier), a key pest that threatens the date palm crop. Associations between volatile composition and sugar and moisture content suggest that differences among fruits in these traits may be characterized by system-wide differences in fruit metabolism. Correlations between volatiles indicate medium chain and long chain fatty acid ester volatiles are regulated independently, possibly reflecting differences in the biochemistry of fatty acid precursors. Finally, we took advantage of date palm clones in our analysis to estimate broad-sense heritabilities of volatiles and demonstrate that at least some of volatile diversity has a genetic basis.

挥发性有机化合物（volatile organic compounds）是果实代谢组（fruit metabolome）的关键组成成分，可赋予果实香气与风味等品质性状。本研究针对树熟海枣（Phoenix dactylifera L.）的90项风味相关果实性状展开多样性分析，涵盖80种共同构成果实挥发组（fruit volatilome）的挥发性有机化合物，以及6种有机酸与4种糖类。研究采用顶空固相微萃取-气相色谱法（headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography），对148份涵盖135个品种的海枣材料的上述性状进行表征。本研究发现了海枣中此前未被报道的新型挥发性化合物，其中包括2-甲氧基-4-乙烯基苯酚（2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol）——一种可吸引红棕象甲（Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier）的物质，而该昆虫是威胁海枣产业的主要害虫。挥发性成分与糖类、水分含量间的关联分析表明，不同海枣果实的上述性状差异，可能反映了果实整体代谢的系统性差异。挥发性成分间的相关性分析显示，中链与长链脂肪酸酯类挥发性化合物的调控路径相互独立，这可能与其脂肪酸前体的生物化学特性差异有关。最后，本研究借助海枣无性系材料开展分析，估算了挥发性化合物的广义遗传力（broad-sense heritabilities），证实至少部分挥发性成分的多样性具有遗传基础。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集聚焦于枣椰树果实挥发物组的多样性、遗传和生化基础，包含148棵枣椰树（代表135个品种）的90种风味相关性状数据，其中80种为挥发性有机化合物，以及有机酸和糖类成分，通过顶空固相微萃取气相色谱法收集。研究发现包括新挥发物（如2-甲氧基-4-乙烯基苯酚）的识别、挥发物与果实代谢的系统性关联，以及基于克隆分析的挥发物遗传性估计，为枣椰树果实风味性状的遗传机制和生化途径提供了关键见解。