Inheritance of aroma compounds in a model population of Fragaria x ananassa Duch

The inheritance of important aroma compounds is demonstrated by the use of a model population of Fragaria x ananassa. Two cultivars were chosen for the crossing, 'Mieze Schindler' and 'Elsanta', which differ strongly in pedigree, phenotype, and fruit traits, including flavour. Two hundred seedlings of this cross-combination were randomly selected from a population of 438 seedlings and propagated, with three plants per seedling. Aroma analysis was performed by automated headspace solid phase micro-extraction in combination with non-targeted data analysis (pattern recognition). This method can assist breeding programmes by the preparation and analysis of hundreds of samples by a simple procedure. The method was backed up by the substance identification using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Data processing of 78 detectable volatile compounds by Chromstat™ in the F 1 population showed very high variability of the volatile patterns. The ester methyl anthranilate (MA) is a discriminative key compound, being present only in the mother cultivar 'Mieze Schindler', and not detectable in 'Elsanta'. Methyl anthranilate was detectable in one fourth of the F 1 population. This low degree of inheritance shows that this important compound is easily lost in the breeding process, which could explain why all investigated modern cultivars do not contain MA. The results are valuable for the choice of breeding partners and for selection in seedling populations.