Texture Difference of Fruit Development Between ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and Its Parents

‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and its parent ‘Korla Pear’ and ‘Xuehua Pear’ fruits were used as test materials to determine firmness, crispness, cell wall component content and related enzyme activities during fruit development.The main factors of texture difference between ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and its parents ‘Korla Pear’ and ‘Xuehua Pear’ were investigated, in order to provide reference for the formation mechanism of ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ texture and pear quality breeding.The results showed that during fruit development, the fruit firmness and fracturability of ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and its parents decreased, and the sensory crispness increased.The contents of cell wall, cellulose and hemicellulose showed an upward-downward trend in the three cultivars.The contents of water soluble pectin, ionic soluble pectin and covalent binding pectin, as well as the activities of pectinase, cellulase and β-glucosidase showed an increasing trend in the three cultivars.From the sensory evaluation of crispness in ripening fruit, the flesh were crisp in ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and ‘Korla Pear’,and ‘Xuehua Pear’ were crisp and hard.In the mature fruits, ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and ‘Korla Pear’ with low hardness and good crispness had higher water soluble pectin content, but lower covalent binding pectin content, hemicellulose content and β-glucosidase activity.There was no significant difference in ionic soluble pectin content, cellulose content, pectinase activity and cellulase activity between ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and its parents.In ripening fruit, the flesh was crisp in ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ which was better than its parent ‘Xuehua Pear’ and similar to its parent ‘Korla Pear’.It was proposed that ‘Yuluxiang Pear’ and its parents texture differed greatly due to variations in water soluble pectin, covalent binding pectin and hemicellulose content as well as β-galactosidase activity.