Evaluation of fruit quality of five crabapple (Malus spp.)cultivars

ObjectiveFruit quality of five crabapple(Malus spp.)cultivars with high resistance mainly cultivated in Yangzhou was studied to provide scientific reference for further developing the application value of crabapple fruits.MethodThe fruit appearance and intrinsic quality of five crabapple cultivars (M. harvest gold,M. red jewel,M. red sen-tinel,M. winter red,M. winter gold ) were determined by X-Rite SP64 color difference meter,analytical balance,vernier caliper,PR-101αwhole sugar meter and anthrone colorimetric method. Correlation analysis,reasonality-satisfaction and multidimensional value theory were combined to make comparative analysis and comprehensive evaluation on 16 indexes of crabapple fruits:chroma value(L*,a*,b*),single fruit weight,pedicel length,pedicel diameter,fruit transverse diame-ter,fruit vertical diameter,pericarp hardness,flesh firmness,soluble sugar content,titratable acid content ,vitamin C con-tent,soluble solids content,solid acid ratio and sugar acid ratio.ResultThere were great differences in the fruit quality of the five crabapple cultivars. Fruit color of M. harvest gold was the brightest,while that of M. winter red was the darkest;M. red sentinel showed the heaviest single fruit weight,longest fruit transverse and longitudinal diameter,thick fruit stalk and low fruit firmness;M. red jewel had the lowest single fruit weight and the smallest fruit transverse and vertical diame-ters,thin fruit stalk and low fruit firmness. The content of soluble sugar and vitamin C in fruit of M. winter red was the highest,the content of soluble solids was the lowest. M. red jewel had the highest titratable acid content and the lowest so-luble sugar content,sugar acid ratio and solid acid ratio. M. red sentinel fruit had the lowest content of titratable acid and vitamin C content and the highest soluble solid,sugar acid ratio and solid acid ratio. Among the five crabapple cultivars, the overall index of M. red sentinel was the most stable. There were extremely significant(P<0.01)or significant(P<0.05)positive and negative correlations between some of the 16 quality indexes. The order of reasonality-satisfaction value was followed:M. harvest gold>M. red jewel>M. red sentinel>M. winter gold>M. winter red.ConclusionThe fruit quality di-fference of 5 five crabapple cultivars is significant. In terms of internal quality,M. red sentinel,M. winter red fruits are suitable for fresh food or product processing,M. harvest gold,M. red jewel,M. winter gold fruits can be used for gardening. In terms of overall satisfaction,M. harvest gold,M. red jewel,M. red sentinel have the best traits in general and are suitable for expanding the planted area.