Cymbidium is one of the most important genera of flowering plants in the Orchidaceae family, and comprises a wide variety of beautiful and colorful species. Among these, only a few species possess floral scents and flavors. In order to increase the availability of a new Cymbidum hybrid, “Sunny Bell”, this study investigated the volatile floral scents. Volatiles of the floral organs of the new Cymbidium hybrid, “Sunny Bell”, at the full-flowering stage were characterized with headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) analysis. A divinylbenzene-carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-CAR-PDMS) fiber gave the best extraction for volatile components. Twenty-three components were identified as the main volatiles for the floral organs of the new Cymbidium hybrid, “Sunny Bell” at the full-flowering stage; twelve compounds in the column, sixteen compounds in the labellum, eleven compounds in the sepals, and nine compounds in the petals were identified. Terpenes are the major source of floral scents in this plant. As a result of GC-MS analysis, the most abundant compound was linalool (69–80%) followed by α-pinene (3–27%), 4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (5–18%), eucalyptol (6–16%), and 2,6-dimethylnonane (2–16%). The main components were identified as monoterpenes in the petals and sepals, and as monoterpenes and aliphatics in the column and labellum. The results of this study provide a basis for breeding Cymbidium cultivars which exhibit desirable floral scents.

We investigated the intensity and pattern of the scent produced by diploid and tetraploid Cymbidium flowers, using an electronic nose with 6 metal oxide sensors (MOS). The MOS responses were evaluated by principal component analysis, discriminant function analysis, and sensor data. These analyses revealed that tetraploid flowers had a stronger scent than diploid flowers in Cymbidium Golden Elf 'Sundust'. Furthermore, among the different flower partscolumn, lip, and petals-the column produced the strongest scent. There was no significant difference between the flowering periods of diploid and tetraploid potted Cymbidium Golden Elf 'Sundust' and Cymbidium Elma 'Orient Toyo' grown in a greenhouse. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the number of flowers per flower stem and the length of flower stems on the diploid and tetraploid plants of these two Cymbidium cultivars. This study provides potentially useful information for the breeding of polyploidy Cymbidium in the floriculture industry.

A Cymbidium variety 'Snow Bell' (C. kanran × C. Jack Frost) was developed at the National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration in 2011. A cross between C. kanran with small-sized greenish colored flowers and C. Jack Frost with bright pink colored flowers, was conducted in 1999. Based on flower color, leaf shape, flower stalk, and vigor one line was selected. Evaluation and selection trials were conducted from 2006 to 2010. 'Snow Bell' has a light pink sepal (RHS, R56D), red lip (R56A) and a leaf length of 47.5 cm. The average number of flowers on each peduncle is 13.8 and the flower diameter is 6.2 cm. The characteristics of petals and sepals show some incurve and some spreading. 'Snow Bell' has a vigorous growth and a round flower. It has an adequate peduncle height of 50.7 cm compared with leaf length of 47.5 cm, and start blooming in December. In electronic nose analysis, the degree of fragrance between 'Snow Bell' and the C. kanran was similar and both of them showed strong scents, although they had different fragrance patterns.

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