Variability in Sorbitol : Sucrose Ratio in Mature Leaves of Different Prunus Species
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol, present with sucrose in Rosaceae trees, which seems to have a role in plant response to environmental stress. The aim of this study was to investigate variability in sorbitol : sucrose ratio in source leaves of 53 species or hybrids of Prunus. The studied taxa, representing three subgenera and 11 sections of the Prunus genus, were chosen from the Prunus collection at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Bordeaux, France. Young mature leaves were sampled on three dates in spring and summer and were analyzed for neutral soluble sugars using high-performance liquid chromatography. There were differences in sorbitol : sucrose ratio according to sampling date and according to taxon. Sorbitol content increased and sucrose content decreased from May to July, leading to an increase in sorbitol : sucrose ratio. For each date, there was a high variability within botanical sections for sorbitol : sucrose ratio. The highest variability between species for sorbitol : sucrose ratio was in July, with P. cocomilia having the lowest ratio (1.15, w/w) and P. fremontii having the highest ratio (5.59, w/w). When species were pooled according to their geographical zone of origin, species originating from Japan showed the lowest sorbitol : sucrose ratio for all sampling dates. In July, species originating from Japan, Europe, and central to western North America had sorbitol : sucrose ratio significantly lower than that of species originating from Europe to western Asia, China to eastern Asia, and central to eastern North America. These results indicate that variability in sorbitol : sucrose ratio exists in the Prunus germplasm and seems to be related to the geographical origin of the species. Moreover, variability in sorbitol to sucrose ratio is high in the germplasm of different Prunus taxa.