The improvement of fruit aroma is currently one of the most desirable objectives in peach breeding programs. To better characterize and asses the genetic potential for increasing the aroma by breeding, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis approach was carried out in a F1 population segregating largely for fruit traits. Linkage maps were constructed using the IPSC peach 9 K Infinium ® II array, rendering dense genetic maps except of some chromosomes, probably due to identity-by-descent of those chromosomes in the parental genotypes. Aroma variability was analyzed by a metabolomic approach based on GC-MS to profile 81 volatile compounds across the population in two locations. Additionally, quality-related traits were also studied to assess possible pleiotropic effects. Correlation-based analysis of the volatile dataset revealed that the peach volatilome is organized in modules formed by compounds from the same biosynthetic origin or sharing similar chemical structures. QTL mapping showed clustering of volatile QTL included in the same volatile modules, indicating that some of them are subjected to joint genetic control. The monoterpene module is controlled by a unique locus at the top of LG4, a locus previously showed to affect the levels of two terpenoid compounds. At the bottom of LG4 a locus controlling several volatiles but also melting/nonmelting and maturity-related traits was found, suggesting putative pleiotropic effects. In addition, two novel locus controlling lactones and esters at linkage group 5 and 6 were discovered. The results presented here confirmed previously locus controlling the aroma of peach but also identified novel ones.
