Volatile Profile Comparison of USDA Sweet-Orange-Like Hybrids and Standard Sweet Oranges

Volatiles of six hybrids ('Ambersweet' orange crossed with one of three different orange hybrids) were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to compare the volatile profiles with `Hamlin', the most widely grown early sweet orange in Florida, and 'Ambersweet'. All hybrids are at least one-half sweet orange and varying amounts of additional tangerine, grapefruit, Poncirus trifoliata, and sour orange in their pedigrees. In total, 135 volatiles were detected from the eight hybrid lines/commercial cultivars over two harvests, and 20 components were detected in all samples. All the new lines are sweet-orange-like, early season hybrids in fruit size, color, and taste. This volatile analysis supports the classification of the hybrids as sweet orange.