"Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo L.) naturally grown in Morocco: A Combined Study using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction coupled with GC-MS and Physico-Morphological Screening"

The phenotypic diversity of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) has largely gone unheeded for many reasons, some
of which have to do with its wild aspect, since it still naturally grows in the mountains and remains poorly exploited. In this regard,
this study aims to investigate the phenotypic diversity within strawberry tree genotypes widely grown in Morocco, based on their
physico-morphological properties and volatile compounds. Significant variability was observed among investigated genotypes for all
traits with the exception of the peduncle weight. Fructose content was 20.40 g/100 g, while glucose and sucrose averaged 15.74 and
17.83 g/100 g dry weight, respectively. Headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography−mass
spectrometry analysis identified a total of 28 volatile compounds in strawberry tree fruits. Chemometric evaluation using the
principal component analysis model was used to determine the most discriminant traits among the data set. Regarding
morphological attributes, fruit geometric traits (length, width, and weight), leaf weight, flower length, blade, and leaf length had the
highest contribution the total variance explained; whereas, soluble solids and pH were the greatest contributors of physicochemical
attributes to the model. Finally, among volatile compounds, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, N-ethyl-1,3-dithioisoindoline, 1Hindole, and phenol captured the highest variance in the model. The combination of physico-morphological traits and volatile
compounds proved to be efficient for strawberry tree discrimination and classification