Identification of Floral Fragrance Components in 20 Intersectional Hybrids of <i>Paeonia</i> in Luoyang Region

ABSTRACT Intersectional hybrids of Paeonia ( Paeonia Itoh hybrids) have rich colours and strong fragrance, combining the advantages of sect. Moutan and sect. Paeonia , and have great economic value and development potential. However, there have been few studies on the floral fragrance components of intersectional hybrids of Paeonia . In this study, the types and contents of volatile components of 20 intersectional hybrids of Paeonia were conducted. A total of 53 floral volatiles were identified though gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, with linalool, nonanal and phenylethyl alcohol as the main floral components. Based on the compound contents and odour activity values (OAVs) analysis, the 20 cultivars were classified into four aroma types: a floral scent, a fresh floral scent, a floral with spicy scent and a fruity scent. ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ had the highest volatile compound contents and OAVs, and had potential for exploitation. This study provided a theoretical reference for the selection of parents for flower fragrance breeding of Paeonia Itoh hybrids.