Hydrocarbon chemotypes of some blackcurrant cultivars (Ribes sp)

The hydrocarbon fractions of the essential oils of 11 cultivars of blackcurrant (Ribes spp) buds originating from collections in France and Australia have been submitted to GC/MS analysis. The major monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons define chemotypes which have been conventionally described by a letter-based formula. Whereas four monoterpene chemotypes previously reported are confirmed, eight sesquiterpene chemotypes have to be redefined. They involve: δ-elemene, β-caryophyllene, γ-elemene, α-humuiene, alloaromadrene, germacrene D, γ-cadinene, and two unknowns. The different cultivars examined and their corresponding chemotypic formulae have been discriminated by principal componen…