Studies On The Temporal And Spatial Variations Of The Flower Color,the Molecular Structures Of The Anthocyanins And The Cloning Of The F3'H Of Several Cultivars Of Prunus Mume

Mei (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) flower possesses comprehensively beautiful colors, various tree patterns, wispy fragrance, graceful gestures and glamourous charm. It is one of the ten famous traditional flowers of China. Today, it is regarded as one of the candidates of the national flower of P. R. China. So far in this world, Mei flower is the first horticultural plant which is accredited Chinese scientist, namely Chen Junyu, as International Cultivar Registration Authority. It is well known that the sixty years of scientific research on Mei flower in China has obtained plentiful and substantial achievements. However, the study on the flower color is, at all times, a feeble domain in the research on Mei flower. The flower color of Mei refers to the colors of all structures like petals in the flower organs of Mei. Mei is very floriferous, producing mauve, pink, pure white, greenish white, light yellow or double color blooms, which is the most pivotal characteristics determining the grace beauty and the aesthetic taste of Mei flower. Nowadays, this feeble domain has badly disturbed the examination, sanction and international registration of Mei cultivar and it also baffles the commencement of flower color-ameliorating of Mei.This research aims at the long-term feeble domain in the research on Mei. From plant physiology, biochemistry, phytochemistry and molecular biology levels, it explores systemically the expression characteristics of the flower color, the molecular structures of the flower color pigments and clones the gene of the key enzyme determining the biosynthesis of the flower color pigments. The main research results include:1. As to the temporal and spatial variations of the flower color of P. mumeThe flower colors of P. mume 'Nanjing Hongxu' and P. mume 'Nanjing Hong' exist mainly temporal changes caused by different flower developing stages, reflecting that the flower colors are under the control of flower development. The flower colors of these two cultivars are all the strongest in alabastrum period, thin in some sort in initial flower period, thicken appreciably in profuse flower period and thin furthest in final flower period even ifthe petals tend to quick senesce as soon as they begin to splay. At different flower developing stages, the chroma differences of petal colors of different layers are: outer layer > middle layer > inner layer, namely, the concrete collocating site of petal in the corolla decides the specific color chroma of this petal. But the change trends of the petal colors of different layers are not completely similar. In the mean time, the content changes of total flavonoids of the outer layers of two cultivars are positively correlated with the petal color changes of outer layers. On the other hand, the flower color difference induced by the inserting site of the flower in canopy is not remarkable at all, showing that the spatial variations of the flower colors are very petit.2. As to the identification of the molecular structures of the anthocyanins of the flower color pigment of P. mumeThe flower color pigments of P. mume are flavonoids, excluding chalcones, aurones, catechins, flavanones, flavanonols and so on and probably including flavones, anthocyanin and its anthocyanidin and so on. The pigments of red and white flower colors contain the same non-red flavonoids. The red flower color results from anthocyanidins and/or their anthocyanins, and a positive relationship exists between the red flower color and the content of anthocyanins. It seems that there is no obvious law between the difference of flower colors and the content of total flavonoids.The flower color pigment of P. mume 'Nanjing Hong' is stable at pH 0~3. It appears colorless, blackish green or yellowish green because it is sensitive to light, heat, oxidant, reductant and chelating agent. It also expresses various red, purple, blackish yellow, blackish red or faint bluish green because of different metal ions or different concentrations of the ions. Glucose and low concentrated sodium beneoate almost have no effects...