Paper Details

Abstract

Malus spectabilis is an important ornamental and fruit tree germplasm resource with high ecological and economic value in the Yili River Valley of Xinjiang, China. In this study, five representative M. spectabilis varieties (M. ‘Xifu’, M. ‘Gaozhi’, M. ‘Wangzhu’, M. ‘Hongye’, M. ‘Chuisi’) were selected to systematically evaluate their fruit phenotypic plasticity, nutritional quality, and leaf photosynthetic characteristics under standardized cultivation conditions with uniform pruning and fruit load management. The results showed significant differences in all tested traits among the five varieties (p<0.05). M. ‘Gaozhi’ had the largest fruit size (single fruit weight 15.38 ± 2.40 g) and the highest edible rate (95.59 ± 1.12%), making it suitable for fresh consumption and dual-purpose breeding. M. ‘Hongye’ displayed the highest soluble solid content (8.24 ± 0.80%) and sugar-acid ratio (28.48 ± 3.78%), ideal for juice processing applications. M. ‘Chuisi’ had the highest vitamin C (4.59 ± 0.41 mg·g⁻¹) and soluble sugar (4.83 ± 0.14 mg·g⁻¹) contents, showing promise for functional food development. Correlation analysis revealed that net photosynthetic rate was significantly positively correlated with stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, while fruit size was negatively correlated with nutritional quality indicators. This study clarifies the trait characteristics of different M. spectabilis varieties in the Yili River Valley, and provides a scientific foundation for optimizing cultivation practices and guiding future breeding programs.

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