Metabolic characterisation of loci affecting sensory attributes in tomato allows an assessment of the influence of the levels of primary metabolites and volatile organic contents

ZANOR MI, RAMBLA JL, CHAÏB J, STEPPA A, MEDINA A, GRANELL A, FERNIE AR, CAUSSE M.

JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY

Oxford University Press

Año: 2009 vol. 60 p. 2139 - 2154

0022-0957

Numerous studies have revealed the extent of genetic and phenotypic variation both between species and cultivars of tomato. Using a series of tomato lines resulting from crosses between a cherry tomato and three independent large-fruit cultivars (Levovil, VilB and VilD), we performed extensive profiling of both central primary metabolism and volatile organic components of the fruit. In this study we were able to define a number of quantitative trait loci (QTL) which determined the levels of primary metabolites and/ or volatile organic components and to evaluate their collocation with previously defined organoleptic QTL. Correlation analyses either between the primary metabolites or the volatile organic compounds and organoleptic properties revealed a number of interesting associations including pharmaceutical aroma-guaiacol and sourness-alanine, across the dataset. We also observed considerable correlation within the levels of primary metabolites or volatile organic compounds, respectively. That said there was, relatively little association between the levels of primary metabolites and volatile organic compounds implying that they are not tightly linked to one another. A notable exception to this was the strong association between the levels of sucrose and those of a number of volatile organic compounds. The combined data presented here are thus discussed both with respect to that obtained recently from wide interspecific crosses of tomato and within the framework of current understanding of the chemical basis of fruit taste.