Differences in fruit, seed, and rootstock traits among different Camellia oleifera varieties and their correlation analysis

The differences of fruit traits, seed traits and rootstock traits among different Camellia oleifera varieties were studied, and the correlation between the indexes of fruit, seed and rootstock traits was analyzed, so as to provide theoretical basis for the breeding of excellent rootstocks of C. oleifera.

The 18 indexes of fruit traits, seed traits and rootstock traits of different C. oleifera varieties were determined. The differences of fruit, seed and rootstock traits among different C. oleifera varieties were studied by one-way analysis of variance, and the C. oleifera varieties with better comprehensive performance were selected. The correlation between 18 indexes was obtained by correlation analysis, and the indexes with strong correlation with rootstock traits were selected to provide theoretical basis for the selection of excellent rootstocks.

The results of one-way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences in single fruit mass, fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit transverse diameter, fruit aspect ratio, peel thickness, fruit seed number and seed mass among different C. oleifera varieties. The single fruit mass of 22 C. oleifera varieties ranged from 15.71 to 35.99 g, the fruit longitudinal diameter was 29.81-40.17 mm, the fruit transverse diameter was 29.06-39.99 mm, the fruit shape index was 0.85-1.28, the peel thickness was 1.85-4.19 mm, and the fruit seed number was 2.20-9.67. There were significant differences in single seed mass, seed longitudinal diameter, seed transverse diameter, seed lateral diameter, ratio of longitudinal diameter to transverse diameter, ratio of transverse diameter to lateral diameter and ratio of longitudinal diameter to lateral diameter among different C. oleifera varieties. The single seed mass of 22 C. oleifera varieties ranged from 1.07 to 4.26 g, the seed longitudinal diameter ranged from 16.98 to 27.40 mm, the seed transverse diameter ranged from 13.17 to 23.12 mm, and the seed lateral diameter ranged from 9.00 to 16.93 mm. There were significant differences in epicotyl length, hypocotyl length, epicotyl diameter and hypocotyl diameter among different C. oleifera varieties. The epicotyl length of 22 C. oleifera varieties ranged from 5.38 to 9.08 cm, epicotyl diameter ranged from 1.72 to 2.97 mm, hypocotyl length ranged from 14.35 to 23.97 cm, and hypocotyl diameter ranged from 1.80 to 3.14 mm. The results of correlation analysis showed that the correlation between epicotyl length and fruit transverse diameter, single seed mass, seed lateral diameter and fruit longitudinal diameter was significant. The correlation between hypocotyl length and seed longitudinal diameter, seed lateral diameter, fruit longitudinal diameter and fruit seed number was significant. The epicotyl thickness was significantly positively correlated with single fruit mass, fruit longitudinal diameter, single seed mass, seed longitudinal diameter, seed transverse diameter and seed lateral diameter. The hypocotyl thickness was significantly positively correlated with fruit aspect ratio and fruit longitudinal diameter.

Based on the indexes of fruit, seed and rootstock traits, the C. oleifera varieties suitable for excellent rootstocks were selected as GW 2, GS 83-4, CL 53 and GLSGZY 1. The correlation analysis showed that the four indexes of the rootstock traits were significantly positively correlated with the fruit longitudinal diameter or the correlation was large. Therefore, the fruit with relatively large fruit longitudinal diameter could be selected from the above four C. oleifera varieties suitable for excellent rootstocks for rootstock cultivation.