Maternal inheritance of sugars and acids in peach (P. persica (L.) Batsch) fruit

Maternal inheritance of sugars and acids in peach fruit were investigated during two successive years using reciprocal populations derived from ‘low acid’ (LA) flat peach ‘Zaolupan’ and non-LA round peach ‘Zaoxing’. The reciprocal populations segregated into LA round, LA flat, non-LA round and non-LA flat-fruited offspring. Generally, the reciprocal populations had similar range and mean values of sugar and acid. Mean values were to different degree lower than or similar to mid-parental values. Maternal inheritance did not show significant effects on sugars and acids. Broad sense heritability of sugars and acids was high, ranging from 0.61 to 0.90. The correlations among sugars and acids were studied, and positive correlations were always found between glucose and fructose, and quinate and shikimate. Generally, mean glucose, fructose, sorbitol, quinate and shikimate contents did not show significant difference among LA round, LA flat, non-LA round and non-LA flat-fruited progenies. Mean sucrose and total sugar contents of flat-fruited progenies tended to be higher than round-fruited progenies, while mean malate, citrate and total acid contents did not significantly differ with fruit shape (round vs. flat).