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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2026, Vol. 62 ›› Issue (3): 161-170.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.LYKX20250492

• Research papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Comprehensive Evaluation of Superior Ginkgo biloba Cultivars for Fruit Production Based on Phenotype and Functional Components

Yu Wang1,2,Guibin Wang1,2,*(),Yuanhui Zhang1,2,Yuxia Yang1,2,Wei Tang1,2,Jing Guo1,2,Yuhua Liu3,Pengfei Yu4   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing 210037
    2. Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilazation of Agricultural Germplasm Nanjing 210014
    3. School of Landscape Architecture, Jiangsu Vocational College of Agriculture and Forestry Jurong 212499
    4. Suining Runqi Investment Co., Ltd. Suining 221200
  • Received:2025-08-05 Revised:2025-10-21 Online:2026-03-15 Published:2026-03-12
  • Contact: Guibin Wang E-mail:gbwang@njfu.com.cn

Abstract:

Objective: This study aims to investigate the dynamic accumulation patterns of the main medicinal components (flavonoids and terpene lactones) in the seed kernel of Ginkgo biloba during development, to analyze the phenotypic traits, seed kernel nutrients, medicinal components, and allergenic components among different cultivars, so as to screen ginkgo fruit cultivars with high medicinal content and superior overall quality. Method: Four productive cultivars were selected to dynamically determine the changes in the content of medicinal components during development of the seed kernel. At maturity, the phenotypic characteristics of the nuts and the nutritional, medicinal, and allergenic components of the kernels in 36 cultivars were systematically determined. The coefficient of variation analysis, diversity index analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and fuzzy subordinate function method were comprehensively applied to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each cultivar and to screen the target cultivars. Result: The total flavonoid and total lactone contents in ginkgo seed kernels exhibited a development pattern of first increasing and then decreasing with the peaks occurring in July or September and the lowest in October during the maturation period. The coefficients of variation of the phenotypic traits across the 36 tested cultivars ranged from 10.46% to 36.88%, with diversity indices ranging from 3.54 to 3.58, while the coefficients of variation of the chemical composition ranged from 9.91% to 36.93%, with diversity indices ranging from 3.52 to 3.58. Correlation analyses revealed that starch content was highly significantly negatively correlated with ginkgolic acid content (P<0.01) and significantly negatively correlated with total flavonoid content (P<0.05). Medicinal constituents (flavonoids and terpene lactones) were significantly negatively correlated with the morphological indexes (nut shape coefficients and nut widths, nut thicknesses, and single nut weights) (P<0.05). Based on principal component analysis and the fuzzy subordinate function method, a comprehensive evaluation model was constructed for screening out two fruit cultivars (No. 25 and No. 33) with significantly higher medicinal content. The two cultivars exhibited an average total flavonoid content of 2.32 mg·g–1, and an average total lactone content of 3.66 mg·g–1. Conclusion: This research has systematically elucidated the dynamic accumulation pattern of medicinal components in ginkgo seed kernels, which exhibit an first increasing and then decreasing during development. It is confirmed that cultivated ginkgo cultivars exhibit high coefficients of variation in phenotypic traits, nutritional components, and medicinal constituents, and there are significant correlations between these traits. Two superior cultivars, No. 25 and No. 33, have been comprehensively evaluated. Especially, cultivar No. 25 has outstanding medicinal component content with relatively low allergenic components, demonstrating excellent comprehensive quality. The findings provide a material foundation for the targeted breeding of “high-medicinal, low-allergenic” ginkgo cultivars, and for the development of functional foods and industrial promotion.

Key words: Ginkgo biloba, breeding of superior cultivars, medicinal components, allergenic components, comprehensive evaluation

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