Articles
Comparative analysis of flower and fruit characteristics in ‘Zhaixuan 7’ and eight other blueberry cultivars
Article number
1440_20
Pages
143 – 150
Language
English
Abstract
‘Zhaixuan 7’ is a new southern highbush blueberry cultivar in Nanjing and was selected from blueberry offspring of the highbush hybrid cross ‘NC1074’ × ‘US237’. To identify the unique characteristics of ‘Zhaixuan 7’, we compared and analyzed its flower and fruit characteristics with those of eight other blueberry cultivars, namely, ‘Eureka’, ‘Snow Chaser’, ‘Duke’, ‘Legacy’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Brightwell’, ‘Titan’, and ‘Pink Lemonade’, which are three different types.
We found that ‘Zhaixuan 7’ had the smallest flower diameter among the highbush blueberries and the smallest fruit diameter except for ‘Snow Chaser’. However, its sugar-to-acid ratio and flavonoid and total triterpenoid contents are highest among these blueberry cultivars.
In addition, we found that the length-to-width ratio of flowers was greater for the rabbiteye type, and the corolla was cylindrical in shape.
The length-to-width ratio of the southern highbush was lower than that of the southern highbush, and the corolla was bell shaped.
The weight of highbush-type flowers was significantly correlated with their soluble sugar content and fruit weight, while the weight of rabbiteye-type flowers was negatively correlated with their soluble sugar content and fruit weight.
Therefore, although ‘Zhaixuan 7’ has a small fruit of only 2.13 g, its sugar-to-acid ratio is high, and its taste is better, which makes it suitable for fresh consumption.
High contents of flavonoids and total triterpenes also have beneficial effects on the human body.
We found that ‘Zhaixuan 7’ had the smallest flower diameter among the highbush blueberries and the smallest fruit diameter except for ‘Snow Chaser’. However, its sugar-to-acid ratio and flavonoid and total triterpenoid contents are highest among these blueberry cultivars.
In addition, we found that the length-to-width ratio of flowers was greater for the rabbiteye type, and the corolla was cylindrical in shape.
The length-to-width ratio of the southern highbush was lower than that of the southern highbush, and the corolla was bell shaped.
The weight of highbush-type flowers was significantly correlated with their soluble sugar content and fruit weight, while the weight of rabbiteye-type flowers was negatively correlated with their soluble sugar content and fruit weight.
Therefore, although ‘Zhaixuan 7’ has a small fruit of only 2.13 g, its sugar-to-acid ratio is high, and its taste is better, which makes it suitable for fresh consumption.
High contents of flavonoids and total triterpenes also have beneficial effects on the human body.
Publication
Authors
X.M. Wang, L.C. Hu, H.L. Wu, Y.Q. Wu, L.F. Lyu, W.L. Wu, W.L. Li
Keywords
new blueberry cultivar, highbush, rabbiteye, fruit quality, flavonoids, sugar-to-acid ratio
Online Articles (74)