【Objective】 This research aims to evaluate the quality of persimmon fruits using three comprehensive methods in order to provide a theoretical basis for the precise selection and efficient utilization of high quality persimmon germplasm. 【Method】 We selected 85 persimmon germplasm resources in Zhejiang Province as the object of evaluation, and examined 13 quality indicators (weight per fruits, diameter of horizontal cross section, diameter of vertical cross section, content of the crude protein, vitamin C, starch, calcium and β-carotene, water content, content of the soluble solids, soluble sugar, tannin and crude fiber) of persimmon fruit. We employed the principal component analysis, the entropy evaluation method and the entropy-weighting TOPSIS method to evaluate fruit comprehensive quality. 【Result】 Fruit quality of different persimmon germplasm resources varied significantly with variation coefficients of 3.82%-87.89%. High variations were found in content of the β-carotene, tannin, starch, crude protein, vitamin C, calcium, fruit weight and crude fiber, and low variations were showed in horizontal and vertical cross section diameters, soluble sugar, soluble solids and water content. The principal component analysis revealed that top scoring persimmon germplasm fruits were Changxing 1, Fuyang 2, Fenghua 1 and Liandu 2. The entropy evaluation method ranked the top scoring persimmon fruits as Wuyi 3, Yongjia 10, Wuyi 4 and Huangyan 2. The entropy-weighting TOPSIS method gave top scoring persimmon fruits to Wuyi 3, Yongjia 10, Wuyi 4, and Chun'an 14. The entropy method and the entropy-weighting TOPSIS method showed relatively similar ranking, while the principal component analysis deviated from the other two methods in scoring. These three methods differ in their theoretical bases, in data standardization methods, and in an index weight assignment. The entropy-weighting TOPSIS based scoring overcame the complexity of the large amount of data on fruit trait indicators and the problem of small dispersion degree of key indicators, and matched best with the production performances and overall quality of different germplasm. 【Conclusion】 The entropy-weight based TOPSIS model simplifies and improves comprehensive evaluation of persimmon germplasm fruit quality compared with scoring by the principal component analysis and the entropy evaluation method.
【Objective】The fruit samples of 21 wild pomegranate plants collected in the dry-hot valley area of Tibet were comprehensively analyzed and evaluated to provide information for phenotypic database of wild pomegranate germplasms and provide scientific basis for breeding excellent pomegranate varieties.【Method】The fruit external and internal qualities of 21 pomegranate samples were determined by vernier caliper, electronic balance, texture analyzer and anthrone colorimetry, and the correlation analysis was carried out. Based on the comprehensive evaluation methods including ‘reasonable satisfaction’ and multidimensional value theory, 12 indexes, such as single fruit weight, fruit shape index, peel thickness, seed hardness, 100-aril weight, seed yield, soluble sugar content, soluble solids content, titratable acid content, vitamin C content, sugar-acid ratio and solid-acid ratio were selected to analyze and evaluate comprehensively.【Result】The fruit shape index of Gebu 5 was the largest. Junyong 1 had the smallest single fruit weight, the thinnest peel, the smallest 100-aril weight, and the lowest sugar-acid ratio. The peel thickness of Zela 1 was the largest; Changxi 1 had the largest 100-aril weight; the seed yield of Yeba 1 was the highest while Gula 3 the lowest. The content of soluble solids and soluble sugar in Gula 1 was the highest. Changxi 3 had the highest vitamin C content; sugar-acid ratio and solid-acid ratio of Zhula 1 were the largest. Correlations between some indexes were significant (P<0.05) or extremely significant (P < 0.01) positive or negative. The highest synthetic ‘reasonable satisfaction’ was Zhula 1. 【Conclusion】The fruit qualities of 21 wild pomegranate samples were significantly different. Most of wild pomegranates were characterized by small fruit, hard seed and high content of acids, indicating a rich genetic variability of wild pomegranate resources at the phenotypic level. According to the results of final synthetic ‘reasonable-satisfaction’, the overall fruit external and internal quality traits of Zhula 1 are optimal, which can be used as resources for introduction and selective breeding.
【Objective】 To better understand how 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) affects the development and physiological characteristics of ginkgo, different concentrations were sprayed onto ginkgo leaves, laying a theoretical basis upon which the oriented cultivation of ginkgo can be applied. 【Method】 Ginkgo leaves were placed in a randomized block design and treated with different concentrations of EBR (0-2.0 mg/L). The growth index, photosynthetic characteristics, and hormone content of EBR-treated annual seedlings were measured. 【Result】 The growth of ginkgo seedlings differed significantly following EBR treatment (P <0.05), with 1.0 mg/L EBR leading to increases of 23.6%, 52.6%, 140.2%, 87.7% and 69.1% in the maximum leaf length, leaf area, plant height, leaf weight and total weight, respectively, as compared to the control. Treatment with 1.5 mg/L (BR3) and 2.0 mg/L (BR4) led to increases of 40.2% and 41.5%, respectively, in the net photosynthetic rate as compared to the control. The maximum content of the endogenous hormones dihydrozein, indolepropionic acid, gibberellin, and abscisic acid and the minimum auxin content was observed under 1.5 mg/L EBR. The content of endogenous brassinolide was significantly positively correlated with the contents of methyl jasmonic and indolepropionic acid and negatively correlated with zeatin (R > 0.5, P < 0.05). 【Conclusion】 The results indicate that the exogenous spraying of ginkgo with EBR is an effective agronomic measure that could improve the net photosynthetic rate of gingko, while also regulating the content of endogenous hormones in the plant, thus promoting stem elongation, leaf area expansion, and leaf dry weight accumulation.
【Objective】The effects of different concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA) on the synthesis of flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba leaves were examined to provide a theoretical basis upon which the internal mechanisms of flavonoid accumulation in G. biloba leaves and leaf forest cultivation could be revealed.【Method】Annual ginkgo seedlings were placed in an artificial climate culture room and treated with exogenous ABA via foliar spraying at five concentration gradients; 0 μmol/L (CK), 50 μmol/L(A1), 100 μmol/L(A2), 150 μmol/L(A3) and 200 μmol/L(A4). The total flavonoid contents, components of G. biloba leaves, and the activities of key enzymes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway were measured, and the expression changes of key enzyme genes involved in G. biloba flavonoid biosynthesis were analyzed using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. 【Result】 ABA treatment had a significant effect on both total flavonoid content and components such as quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Increasing the ABA concentration led to an initial increase in the total flavonoid and component content, which was followed by a decrease. The highest total flavonoids, quercetin and isorhamnetin were observed under treatment A3, while the highest kaempferol was associated with A2. ABA treatment had a significant effect on the activities of key enzymes that are involved in flavonoid synthesis in G. biloba leaves (PAL, C4H and 4CL); however, differences were observed in the change trends of the different enzymes. PAL enzyme activity increased gradually as ABA concentrations increased; C4H activity increased and decreased alongside the total flavonoid content; 4CL activity was significantly higher under treatments A2 and A3 than the control; however, 4CL activity was lower under A1 and A4 than the control. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that ABA treatment significantly improves the expression levels of GbPAL,GbC4H,Gb4CL,GbCHS and GbCHI. In general, exogenous ABA improves the flavonoid synthesis in G. biloba leaves, with the best effects observed under treatment A3.【Conclusion】The use of appropriate ABA concentrations can positively regulate the expression of multiple key enzyme genes that code for flavonoid synthesis, improve the activity of key enzymes involved in flavonoid synthesis, and thus promoting the synthesis and accumulation of flavonoids in G. biloba leaves.
【Objective】A common garden experiment was used to explore the adaptation mechanisms of leaf structure to geographical environment changes. 【Method】In this study, the anatomical structure and stomatal characteristics of the leaves of 46 Vernicia fordii provenances were observed and measured by the paraffin wax slices method and nail oil seal method. Redundancy analysis, traditional correlation analysis and systematic clustering were used to analyze the differences in leaf structural characteristics, as well as the relationship between leaf traits and environmental factors.【Result】The results showed that the leaf structure characteristics of V. fordii had significant variation (P<0.01), the coefficients of variation of P/S, stomatal area, stomatal density and spongy tissue thickness were more than 20%. There were significant correlations between the leaf anatomical structure and leaf stomatal structure. Latitude, longitude, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation contributed largely to the variations of leaf structure characteristics of V. fordii. Principal component analysis revealed that the first five principal components represented 91.02%. Ten indexes, including stomatal density, stomatal perimeter and stomatal area, were selected for hierarchical cluster analysis. Overall, 46 V. fordii germplasms were clustered into three groups with a Euclidean distance of 5.0. The clustering results reflected the characteristics of the leaf tissue structure of various groups, and the difference was mainly reflected in the stomatal characteristics. 【Conclusion】 The difference in the geographical environment was one of the major factors that affected the variations of the leaf structure of V. fordii.
