Analysis of quality differences among six plumcot varieties during lowtemperature storage and selection of storage-tolerant cultivars
摘要
【Objective】As a perennial deciduous fruit tree species, plumcot(Prunus domestica × armeniaca)exhibits significant physiological fruit drop during the maturation period, which substantially reduces marketable fruit yield. During harvesting operations, the lack of mechanized harvesting equipment and standardized operational procedures leads to prevalent mechanical damage to fruits, including surface abrasions and flesh bruising. Furthermore, infestations by various fruit tree pests and diseases further exacerbate both yield losses and quality deterioration. Postharvest physiological activities, including accelerated respiration and ongoing ripening processes, coupled with improper bulk storage practices, lead to significant fruit decay, quality deterioration, and substantial postharvest losses. Optimal low-temperature storage conditions can effectively delay fruit senescence and decay, activate the antioxidant defense system, and extend storage duration. Monitoring physiological indices associated with fruit quality provides comprehensive insights into the physiological responses to ambient temperature fluctuations during storage. This study investigated six plumcot cultivars including Weidi, Fengweimeigui, Weiwang, Fengweihuanghou, Konglongdan and Weihou to evaluate their physiological and phenotypic changes under low-temperature storage for identifying the most storage-tolerant varieties.【Methods】The storage experiment was conducted at the Jiamu Experimental Station in Wensu County, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, starting in June 2024, using fruits from the plumcot germplasm resource nursery as test materials. Fruit maturity was determined by measuring firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), and color index using a GY-4 fruit firmness tester and an NK-55T handheld digital refractometer. Maturity standards were established based on the typical characteristic reference ranges for each cultivar at commercial maturity under optimal cultivation conditions, reflecting their g