Abstract: [Objective] Aroma components and contents in ripe fruits of six Prunus domestica×armeniaca cultivars were investigated to provide a theoretical basis for P. domestica×armeniaca quality evaluation and improvement.[Method] Volatiles of six P. domestica×armeniaca cultivars (‘Fengweimeigui’, ‘Weidi’, ‘Weiwang’, ‘Konglongdan’, ‘Weihou’, ‘Fengweihuanghou’) were qualitatively and quantitatively detected with 3-octanol as an internal standard by means of HS-SPME-GC, and odour activity values and characteristic components were also determined according to odour thresholds.[Result] A total of 77 compounds were identified, and they were divided into six categories including 9 alcohols, 16 aldehydes, 29 esters, 9 lactones, 4 terpenoids and 10 ketones. All the six P. domestica×armeniaca cultivars contained 1-hexanol, 5-Hepten-2-one, 6-methyl-, acetophenone, hexanal, octanal, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, benzaldehyde, γ-decalactone and linalool. The number of aromatic volatile compounds in six varieties ranged from high to low was ‘Fengweimeigui’, ‘Weiwang’, ‘Konglongdan’, ‘Weidi’, ‘Fengweihuanghou’ and ‘Weihou’. The contents of aromatic components in six P. domestica×armeniaca cultivars ranged from 37.22 μg·kg^-1 FW to 277.05 μg·kg^-1 FW, and the average content was 114.95 μg·kg^-1 FW. The contents of aromatic components ranged was in an order of ‘Weiwang’ > ‘Fengweimeigui’ > ‘Weihou’ > ‘Weidi’ > ‘Fengweihuanghou’ > ‘Konglongdan’. The contents of alcohols and lactones were the highest in ‘Fengweimeigui’, while aldehydes and ketones the highest in ‘Weihou’. ‘Weiwang’ contained the highest ester, whilst terpenoids in ‘Weidi’ had the highest content. Theresult determined characteristic components of aroma, of which ‘Fengweimeigui’ had the highest amount, including hexanol, decanal, acetic acid butyl ester, acetic acid octyl ester, butyl hexanoate, ethyl caproate, γ-caprolactone, γ-decalactone and linalool. The characteristic aromas in ‘Weidi’ were hexanal, heptyl, octyl aldehyde, butyl acetate and linalool. Characteristic components of aroma in ‘Weiwang’ were hexyl alcohol, butyl acetate, hexyl acetate, butyl hexanoate, ethyl caproate, gamma-decalactone and linalool.The odor activity value of butyl acetate in ‘Weiwang’ was 877.72 μg·kg^-1 FW. The characteristic components in ‘Konglongdan’ were hexyl alcohol, caproaldehyde and octanal; hexyl alcohol, caproaldehyde, octanal and linalool in ‘Weihou’; while hexanalnal, octanal, trans-2-nonenal and linalool in ‘Fengweihuanghou’. ‘Fengweimeigui’ and ‘Weiwang’ smelt like a taste of apricot along with slight plum aroma, while it was opposite in ‘Weidi’; and other varieties including ‘Konglongdan’, ‘Fengweihuanghou’ and ‘Weihou’ had clear aroma of plum similarly.[Conclusion] Aromatic components and contents varied greatly among P. domestica×armeniaca cultivars. All the germplasms could be classified into three groups:1) ‘Fengweimeigui’ and ‘Weiwang’ with high content of ester; 2) ‘Weidi’, ‘Weihou’ and ‘Fengweihuanghou’ with high content of terpenoid and aldehyde, 3) ‘Konglongdan’ with high content of aldehyde and alcohols. Two cultivars, i.e. ‘Fengweimeigui’ and ‘Weiwang’, with high richness of esters were determined; ‘Weidi’ with high richness of terpenoids;‘Fengweihuanghou’ and ‘Weihou’ with high richness of aldehyde were chosen.

Key words: Prunus domestica×armeniaca, volatiles, flavor, characteristic components