Abstract:【Objective】Germplasm resources, serving as the bedrock of agricultural production, are directly intertwined with the manifestation and enhancement of fruit quality. Sweet cherry, being an outstanding introduced germplasm resource, is presently restricted in our current level of comprehension and utilization. A comprehensive and in-depth exploration of its germplasm resources holds tremendous significance for the exploitation of sweet cherry resources and the sustainable progression of the industry within China. This study zeroes in on the comprehensive assessment of the phenotypic traits of 39 sweet cherry fruits in the Shanxi region, with the intention of furnishing a reference foundation for the quality appraisal of sweet cherry fruits and the selection of superior germplasm. Moreover, it aims to offer technical and theoretical sustenance for the sustainable development of the sweet cherry industry in Shanxi, thereby propelling the advancement of the sweet cherry industry.【Methods】Using 39 sweet cherry samples as the research materials, 25 phenotypic traits were identified for investigation. The quantitative traits encompassed single fruit weight, edible rate, fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit lateral diameter, fruit transverse diameter, fruit stalk length, stone weight, stone transverse diameter, stone longitudinal diameter, soluble solids content, vitamin C content, protein content, soluble sugar content, reducing sugar content, total acid content, pericarp puncture strength, flesh firmness, fruit shape index, and solid - acid ratio. The qualitative traits comprised fruit type, fruit apex shape, peel color, degree of coloration, flesh color, and fruit flavor. Subsequently, diversity analysis, correlation analysis, and cluster analysis were successively conducted on these phenotypic traits. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation was carried out through principal component analysis based on these phenotypic characteristics. 【Results】The 39 sweet cherry samples possessed rich genetic diversity. The genetic diversity indices of 19 quantitative traits ranged from 1.68 to 2.08. Among them, the genetic diversity indices of single fruit weight, fruit transverse diameter, fruit stalk length, stone longitudinal diameter, stone transverse diameter and fruit shape index were greater than 2, belonging to highly variable traits, and the genetic diversity indices of the remaining traits were all between 1 and 2. The range of genetic diversity indices of 6 qualitative traits was 1.0329 - 1.4972, and all were greater than 1. According to the results of diversity analysis, it was found that the fruit sizes among different cherry varieties were significantly different, and most of the qualitative traits had rich genetic diversity. The coefficient of variation of 19 quantitative traits ranged from 1.05% to 71.01%. The coefficient of variation of fruit hardness and vitamin C content exceeded 50%, indicating a large degree of dispersion of the phenotypic traits among sweet cherry species. Correlation analysis showed that the relationships among various phenotypic traits of different germplasms were close and complex. Cluster analysis divided the 39 sweet cherries into three groups. Group I could be used for breeding germplasms with high solid - acid ratio and good fruit flavor, Group II could be used for breeding germplasm resources with large single fruit weight, large fruit size, and high pericarp and fruit hardness, and Group III could be used for breeding germplasms with high nutrient content. This was similar to the results of other classification methods by predecessors, but there were also some differences. Principal component analysis screened out 7 principal components, whose eigenvalues were all greater than 1, and the cumulative contribution rate reached 80.329%. The first principal component was mainly related to fruit size, the second principal component was mainly related to fruit nutritional value and marketability, the third principal component was mainly related to fruit shape, the fourth and fifth principal components were related to fruit taste, and the indicators such as single fruit weight, fruit transverse diameter and fruit lateral diameter related to fruit size had the greatest impact on phenotypic diversity. The comprehensive evaluation results of sweet cherry phenotypic traits showed that Tieton had the highest comprehensive score (3.82).【Conclusion】Through the integration of diverse evaluation methodologies, in Shanxi, varieties such as Tieton, Santina, Heizhenzhu, Fuchen, and Крупноплодная manifested outstanding comprehensive performances, in contrast to which LY 1, 1-72, and C-1 exhibited relatively inferior qualities. Simultaneously, twelve crucial indices for the appraisal of sweet cherry phenotypic traits, namely fruit vertical diameter, fruit transverse diameter, fruit lateral diameter, pericarp color, flesh color, single fruit weight, stone weight, solid-acid ratio, flesh hardness, soluble solid content, protein content, and soluble sugar content, were identified. These served as valuable references for the subsequent quality analysis, evaluation of sweet cherry germplasm, and variety breeding endeavors.
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