Volatile Metabolite Profiling for the Discrimination of Onion Bulbs Infected by Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora, Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis allii

The volatile metabolites of the headspace gas of onion bulbs inoculated with three different pathogens, Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora, Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis allii, were profiled using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Differences in the number and amount of volatile metabolites were observed. Two hundred and fifty three volatile metabolites were detected in bulbs inoculated with three pathogens or sterile distilled water. On day three, 202 volatile metabolites were observed, compared to 166 on day six. Of the 253 compounds, however, only 59 occurred relatively consistently over replications, of which 25 compounds were specific to one or more pathogens, including 10 that were unique to a pathogen. Metabolites such as 1-Oxa-4,6-diazacyclooctane-5-thione and 4-mercapto-3-(methylthio)--(thio-lactone)-crotonic acid were exclusive to onions inoculated with F. oxysporum. Acetone, acetic acid-hydrazide, propylcarbamate, 1-bromo-1-propene, thiirane, 1-(methylthio)-E-1-propene and 1-ethenyl-4-ethyl-benzene were specific to B. allii. 3-bromo-furan was specific to E. carotovora ssp. carotovora. Sterile water-inoculated bulbs produced 3,3-dioxy-1,2-propanediol-tetranitrate. Highest amount of sulfurs was found in pathogen-inoculated, while highest amounts of terpenes, aromatics and aliphatics were found in sterile distilled water-inoculated bulbs. The possible use of these differences in the volatile metabolites for detecting and discriminating diseases of onion in storage is discussed.