Effect of flower development stages on the dynamics of volatile compounds in Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oil

Several abiotic factors influence the chemical composition of essential oils. Understanding these factors is an important step in developing quality products that meet market demands. This research work aims to study the chemical composition of the essential oils of ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata, forma genuina) according to the maturity of flowers. The volatile compounds of ylang-ylang flowers from Reunion Island were extracted by hydrodistillation and the samples were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) allowing for the identification of 70 volatile compounds. The chemical composition of the essential oils extracted from the flowers at 5 different stages of development varies both qualitatively and quantitatively. The volatile compounds observed belong to 4 chemical groups which are esters, alcohols, terpenes, and ether-oxides. The synthesis of light oxygenated compounds is largely the predominant chemical subgroup in all stages of development. Their relative content is considerably increased during flower ripening with a peak concentration in stage 4 (SD4). The highest concentrations of non-terpene esters and heavy oxygenated compounds are found in stages 1 (SD1) and (SD5), respectively, while no chemical subgroup is dominant in the intermediate stages 2 (SD2) and (SD3). The dynamics of volatile compounds have also been studied. This study established that the stage of development of ylang-ylang flowers significantly influences the dynamics of volatile compounds in the extracted essential oils. Total oxygenated compounds that are highly odoriferous in essential oils increase progressively and significantly with flower maturity, unlike hydrocarbon terpenes, which are less valuable in terms of their contribution to the fragrance and following opposite kinetics; suggesting that odoriferous properties increase with the development of the flower, with a higher intensity at SD4.