Abstract:【Objective】In order to provide basis for efficient exploration and utilization of excellent white-flesh loquat resources as well as breeding parent selection on flesh color improvement, the diversity and correlation of main fruit traits of white-flesh loquat germplasms was investigated.【Methods】106 white-flesh loquat samples conserved in the National Longan and Loquat Germplasm Resources Nursery (Fuzhou) were used, ten fruit traits including fruit weight, fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit transverse diameter, fruit shape index (longitudinal diameter/ transverse diameter of fruit) , fruit lateral diameter, number of seeds per fruit, seed weight, soluble solids content, flesh thickness and edible rate were measured, then coefficient of variation, correlation analysis and principal component analysis were performed among these traits. 【Results】The coefficient of variation of fruit traits ranged from 9.3% to 34.9% among the investigated white-flesh loquat resources, and the diversity index of these traits ranged from 2.64 to 2.95. The fruit weight ranged from 6.9 g to 64.6 g, with an average at 34.7 g and a coefficient variation at 34.9%; the fruit longitudinal diameter ranged from 2.12 cm to 5.95 cm, with an average at 4.08 cm and a coefficient variation at 17.1%; the fruit transverse diameter ranged from 2.11 cm to 4.68 cm, with an average at 3.77 cm and a coefficient variation at 13.4%; the fruit shape index ranged from 0.86 to 1.38, with an average at 1.08 and a coefficient variation at 9.3%; the fruit lateral diameter ranged from 2.07 cm to 4.60 cm with an average at 3.55 cm, and the coefficient variation was 13.8% ; the number of seeds per fruit ranged from 1.74 to 6.60, and the average number of seeds was 3.31, and the coefficient variation was 24.4% ; the weight of seed ranged from 0.78 g to 3.26 g, and the average weight of seed was 2.07 g, and the coefficient variation was 23.7%；the flesh thickness ranged from 3.65 cm to 11.95 cm with an average at 7.87 cm, and the coefficient variation was 18.9%; The soluble solid content ranged from 9.4% to 17.4%, the average was 12.5% and the coefficient variation was 14.1%, the edible rate ranged from 41.5% to 76.5%, the average was 67.0% and the coefficient variation was 9.9%. There was no significant difference on seed number among white-flesh resources of different origin sources. Moreover, no significant differences on fruit weight, flesh thickness, soluble solids content and edible rate among white-flesh resources from Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces. However, Fujian is the main origin of white-flesh loquat that set fruits with large size and high quality. While Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou have few white-flesh loquat resources, and they can only produce small size fruit with thin flesh and low edible rate. Correlation analysis showed that fruit weight was positively correlated with fruit longitudinal diameter (r=0.90), fruit transverse diameter (r=0.95), fruit lateral diameter (r=0.91)，fruit flesh thickness (r=0.79)，seed number (r= 0.58), and seed weight (r= 0.63); the content of soluble solids was negatively correlated with fruit weight （r=-0.46), fruit longitudinal diameter (r=-0.45), fruit transverse diameter (r=-0.49), fruit lateral diameter (r=-0.41), thickness of flesh (r=-0.55) and edible rate (r=-0.56); the edible rate was positively correlated with fruit weight (r=0.69), fruit longitudinal diameter (r=0.75), fruit transverse diameter (r=0.74), fruit lateral diameter (r=0.69), fruit shape index (r=0.34), weight of seed (r=0.37), and fruit flesh thickness (r=0.80). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the first principal component factor reflected the fruit size, the contribution rate of 60.9%. Twenty-five excellent resources were identified, among these: three accessions with fruit weight higher than 60.0 g, nine accessions with soluble solid content higher than 15.0%, three accessions with edible rate higher than 75.0%, two accessions with less than 2.0 seeds. More excitingly, eight of them show advantages on fruit weight (＞ 40.0 g), soluble solid content (＞ 12.0%) and edible rate (＞ 68.0%) at the same time compared to the other white-flesh accessions.【Conclusion】The fruit traits of white-flesh loquat resources were abundant, twenty-five excellent resources of different types of white-flesh were screened out. This study provides a basis for the exploration and utilization of white- flesh loquat resources and shows lights on parent selection for loquat improvement in future.
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