Cultivar-driven variations in physicochemical properties and volatile organic compound profiles of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

Strawberry (<i>Fragaria × ananassa</i> Duch<i>.</i>) is an important economic crop all around the world. A new developed cultivar 'Baozhu' which has a similar fruit shape with 'Hongyan' is not yet proved to be a different genotype. The main purpose of the present study was to confirm the differences in genotypes and quality and volatile compounds of the two cultivars. The results showed that 'Baozhu' cultivar exhibited 39.6 % higher fruit weight, 35.1 % higher total soluble solids, 29.5 % higher firmness, 25.0 % higher total acidity, 45.0 % higher soluble sugars compared to 'Hongyan' cultivar (<i>p</i> < 0.05). A total of 51 volatile compounds were identified in the strawberries using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), and esters were the most abundant compounds, followed by aldehydes and alcohols. The results of chemometrics analysis reveal that 'Baozhu' and 'Hongyan' strawberries can be distinctly separated from each other. A panel of 28 volatiles with VIP > 1 and <i>p</i> < 0.05 were identified as discriminant factors for 'Baozhu' and 'Hongyan'. Furthermore, 'Baozhu' cultivar had significantly more stomata than the 'Hongyan' cultivar. A clear and positive correlation was observed among quality, volatile and stomata number. The current findings contribute to the commercial value assessment of the 'Baozhu' cultivar at an industrial level, formulating a paradigm for improvement of daily eating pattern and driving the development of genetic tools for improvement of flavor.