Production system influences volatile biomarkers in tomato

Introduction

In recent years, growers have used various production types, including high-tunnel systems, to increase the yield of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum). However, the effect of high-tunnel cultivation, in comparison to conventional open-field production, on aroma and flavor volatiles is not fully understood.

Objectives

To optimize the extraction and quantification conditions for the analysis of tomato volatiles using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and study the effect of production systems on volatile profiles using metabolomics approach.

Methods

The HS-SPME conditions were optimized for extraction and GC–MS was used to quantify the volatiles from four tomato varieties grown in open-field and high-tunnel systems. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the influence of production system on tomato volatiles.

Results and conclusions

The extraction of 2 g tomato samples at 60 °C for 45 min using divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber gave the maximum amounts of volatiles. This optimized method was used to identify and quantify 41 volatiles from four tomato varieties. The levels of β-damascenone were higher in the high-tunnel tomatoes and geranylacetone was higher in open-field tomatoes. These two volatile compounds could be considered as biomarkers for tomatoes grown in high-tunnel and open-field production systems. This study is the first report comparing volatiles in tomatoes grown in high-tunnel and open-field conditions, and our results confirmed that there is a critical need to adopt biomarker-specific production systems to improve the nutritional and organoleptic properties of tomatoes.