Abstract:
Six jujube bud mutants(‘HF-1’‘Huishi No.1’‘Qianghui No.2’‘Hui 08-3’‘Xinfeng No.1’‘Gray Date Nova’) and the standard gray jujube(‘Gray Jujube(CK)’) were used as test materials.Field surveys and laboratory methods were employed to investigate the phenology, tree body, branches, leaves, flowers, and other biological characteristics of gray jujube and its six bud mutants, in order to provide reference for the upgrading of gray jujube varieties in Xinjiang.The results showed that the six gray jujube bud mutants and the gray jujube trees had similar morphologies, all semi-open or open-type, with medium to strong vigor, and their main trunks had striated bark.The leaves were predominantly green and flat, ovate-lanceolate in shape; the flowering period was from May to June, and the fruits ripened in September.The length of secondary branches of the six bud mutants ranged from 8 to 12 nodes, compared to 8 nodes for gray jujube.The length of the jujube hangings in the six bud mutants ranged from 29.46 cm to 42.69 cm, all longer than that of gray jujube at 23.52 cm.The number of leaves on the jujube hangings of the six bud mutants ranged from 12.67 to 16.47,all higher than the 12.47 leaves of gray jujube.The hanging rate of the six bud mutants ranged from 2.90 to 3.80,all higher than the 2.60 of gray jujube.The fruit-hanging ratio of the six bud mutants ranged from 0.15 to 5.85,with gray jujube at 2.01.Through comparative investigation of the biological characteristics and yield of gray jujube and its six bud mutants, ‘Hui 08-3’‘HF-1’ and ‘Xinfeng No.1’ were preliminarily selected as the bud mutant materials with better comprehensive traits in the Kashgar Maigaiti production area.