Identification and Characterization of a Loquat Aneuploid with Novel Leaf Phenotypes

A loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) seedling obtained from an open-pollinated triploid variety ‘Wuheguoyu’ (2n = 3x = 51) was verified as aneuploid and designated H39. It was shown to have five extra chromosome copies (2n = 39) compared with the diploid plant (2n = 2x = 34), one additional copy each for the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 11th chromosomes. A number of novel features of leaf morphology was observed for H39 in comparison with ‘Ruantiaobaisha’ (2x, female progenitor) and ‘Wuheguoyu’ (3x, female parent), including increased leaf width, reduced leaf thickness, and narrowed palisade mesophyll and wax coat. Total chlorophyll content in unit area of H39 leaves was close to or slightly less than the diploid and triploid parent lines. Chlorophyll content in unit mass showed the opposite trend, with H39 having higher amount than the 2x and 3x. As we expected, H39 had the lowest net photosynthetic rates among the three lines. Furthermore, 8-month-old scions of H39 grew more slowly than those of the diploid and triploid lines, especially in plant height, which was much reduced (P < 0.01). These results indicated that the aneuploid H39 was a potential germplasm for breeding dwarfing loquat rootstock or interstock.