Phytochemical and genetic characterization of styles of wild ce:italic>Crocus/ce:italic> species from the island of Crete, Greece and comparison to those of cultivated ce:italic>C. sativus/ce:italic>

摘要

The aim of this study was to contribute to the characterization ofCrocustaxa using morphological, phytochemical and genetic analysis. The styles ofC. cartwrightianus,C. oreocreticusandC. laevigatus,collected in the island of Crete were compared to those ofC. sativuscultivated at the region of Western Macedonia (Greece). Phytochemical analysis was done using GC–MS and HPLC methods, while ISSR markers were used for their genetic characterization. Safranal was the major volatile component of the styles ofC. sativus, 4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde of C.cartwrightianusandC. oreocreticus, and isophorone ofC. laevigatus.C. sativushad the highest content of crocins and picrocrocin, whileC. laevigatusthe lowest (only 5% ofC. sativus'quantity) and negligible amount of picrocrocin. According to both the genetic and the chemical analysis,C. cartwrightianusis more related toC. oreocreticus,whileC. sativusandC. laevigatusare more distinct. Concordance between the two different types of data was also confirmed by the Mantel test (r?=?0.932,P?=?.68). This is the first thorough screening of secondary metabolites (volatile and non-volatile) and also genetic and morphological characters of wildCrocusstyles simultaneously, that contributes to the identification and valorisation of genotypes with similar toC. sativustraits which may be introduced as new cultivars through breeding.