Abstract: In this study, the contents of intrinsic free monosaccharides and disaccharides in 15 lily samples collected from different producing regions of China were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the major free sugars in all lily samples were sucrose, glucose and fructose. In most lily samples, sucrose accounted for more than 86% of total free sugar contents. Compared with the bulbs from the same regions, the bulbils of Lilium lancifolium were richer in many free sugars. Compared with the fresh bulbs, dried lily scales contained decreased contents of total free sugars and increased types of free sugars. Among these edible and medicinal lilies, the bulbs of L. pumilum and L. davidii var. willmottiae had the highest sweetness, followed by the bulbs of L. lancifolium and L. brownii var. viridulum and the dried scales of L. davidii var. willmottiae, and the sweetness of the dried scales of L. brownii var. viridulum was the lowest. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed that most bulb samples belonging to the same Lilium species were clustered together, and principal component analysis showed that L. pumilum, L. davidii var. willmottiae and L. regale were richer in most types of free sugars. Besides, the purple bulbs of L. regale and the bulbils of L. lancifolium had higher contents of glucose and fructose, which may be related to the accumulation of anthocyanins. This study provides a theoretical basis for product development from lily germplasms.

Key words: lily; intrinsic free sugars; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; cluster analysis; principal component analysis