Organ-Specific Volatile Profiling of Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A.Mey. (Asteraceae) Reveals Metabolic Differentiation by MSD-SPME-GC-MS/FID.

The organ-specific volatile profile of Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A.Mey. (roots, leaves, and seeds), collected in Azerbaijan, was investigated using microsteam distillation-solid phase microextraction (MSD-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection (GC-MS/FID). A total of 46 compounds belonging to eight major chemical classes were identified. Clear organ-dependent differences emerged: leaves exhibited the highest chemical diversity, with 34 constituents, and were dominated by lipid-derived aldehydes; roots (21) showed a relative enrichment in terpenoids, while seeds displayed a simpler composition (16), mainly consisting of aldehydes and aromatic ketones. The predominant ones were phenylacetaldehyde in leaves (13.3%), hexanal in roots (18.0%), and nonanal in seeds (16.3%). These results highlight distinct metabolic differentiation reflected in the volatile profiles of the three organs and contribute to the phytochemical characterization of the genus Lactuca.