GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF ESSENTIAL OIL VARIANTS IN PERILLA-FRUTESCENS

A new chemotype (C type) of Perilla frutescens (Labiatae) that accumul ates trans-citral as a main component of the essential oil in the leaf was crossed with five other chemotypes containing perillaldehyde (PA) , elsholtziaketone (EK), perillaketone (PK), perillene (PL), and pheny lpropanoid (PP) as their respective major components for comparison of genetic differences. The analyses of F-1 and F-2 progenies showed tha t trans-citral is accumulated when its metabolism is blocked in the si multaneous absence of a dominant gene N, which is involved in the conv ersion of trans-citral into naginataketone via cis-citral, and two pol ymeric genes Fr-1 and Fr-2 which are involved in the conversion of tra ns-citral into perillene. On the basis of new data obtained from vario us intercrosses involving the C type as one of the parents, the genoty pes of different chemotypes as well as the sites of action of several genes controlling reaction steps in the biosynthesis of monoterpenes i n Perilla have been revised.