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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (4): 105-116.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0793

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Analysis of Phenotypic and Leaf Nutritional Traits of 42 Mulberry Germplasm Resources

LIAO Yuanyuan1,2(), ZHENG Zhangyun1, ZHANG Zitao1,2, CHEN Li3, XIA Chuanlin4, REN Jiequn1(), TAN Lixin1   

  1. 1 Chongqing Three Gorges Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wanzhou, Chongqing 404155
    2 Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing 404100
    3 Economic Crop Development Center of Wanzhou District, Wanzhou, Chongqing 404120
    4 Sericultural Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong, Sichuan 637000
  • Received:2025-09-10 Revised:2025-12-25 Online:2026-02-27 Published:2026-02-27

Abstract:

To address the insufficient comprehensive evaluation of phenotypic traits and leaf nutritional quality in mulberry (Morus spp.) germplasm and the lack of criteria for selecting superior accessions, 42 mulberry accessions conserved at the Mulberry Germplasm Repository of the Chongqing Three Gorges Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Wanzhou, Chongqing) were evaluated. Eighteen qualitative phenotypic traits, nine quantitative phenotypic traits, and six leaf nutritional quality traits were measured, and genetic diversity analysis, cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and correlation analysis were conducted. The results showed that: (1) among phenotypic traits, qualitative traits such as leaf surface, leaf base, and winter bud color exhibited high diversity, while quantitative traits including leaf length, leaf width, leaf shape index, and mesophyll thickness showed significant variation, with coefficients of variation ranging from 7.68% to 37.61%; (2) leaf nutritional quality differed markedly among accessions, with the highest crude protein content reaching 256.91 mg/g and crude fiber content reaching 14.81%; (3) cluster analysis classified the 42 mulberry accessions into seven clusters, with clusters B, C, and E containing the largest numbers of accessions; (4) PCA extracted six principal components, of which the first five had eigenvalues greater than 1, and the cumulative contribution rate reached 81.96%, with leaf length, leaf size, crude protein, and crude fat identified as the main contributing traits; (5) significant correlations were observed among phenotypic traits, whereas correlations between phenotypic traits and leaf nutritional quality traits were relatively weak. Overall, the mulberry germplasm exhibits abundant variation in phenotypic traits and leaf nutritional quality, providing a scientific basis for germplasm evaluation, breeding, and utilization.

Key words: Morus alba, germplasm resources, phenotypic traits, nutritional quality, correlation analysis, trait difference