A Survey of the Floral Volatile Profiles of Daylily Species and Hybrids

Abstract

For the past century, daylily (Hemerocallis) hybridization focused almost exclusively on enhancing the diversity of flower forms, colors, and color patterns. This focus on the visual characteristics of daylilies resulted in the development of thousands of hybrids that come in a fantastic array of colors and color patterns. However, these modern daylilies exhibit little to none of the floral fragrance possessed by some of the daylily progenitor species. Because little work has been done on daylily floral volatiles, the objective of this research was to evaluate the floral volatile profiles of a variety of daylily species and hybrids and assess the state of fragrance among modern hybrids. Using a field collection system and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GS-MS), this study evaluated the fragrance profiles of 147 daylily genotypes. Eighteen volatile organic compounds, primarily terpenoids, were identified and their variations among the genotypes were investigated. Results suggest that fragrance could be a trait pursued in a breeding program to enhance the sensory phenotypes of new daylily cultivars.

Keywords

• fragrance; gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; hemerocallis; hybridization; monoterpene hydrocarbons; sesquiterpenes; terpenoid derivatives