Abstract:To evaluate the diversity of triterpenoid in flowers of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl., the contents of corosolic acid, ursolic acid and oleanic acid were determined by HPLC from 53 loquat germplasms. The result showed that the average contents of 3 triterpenoid compounds were 0.439% in loquat flowers, with the contents of corosolic acid, ursolic acid and oleanic acid accounting for 19.1%, 65.6% and 15.3%, respectively. The variation coefficient of corosolic acid was the greatest with 29.34%, whereas the difference in oleanic acid content was the biggest. Based on the origin, the highest variations coefficient in corosolic acid contents and oleanic acid contents were 32.56% and 34.00% from Guangdong Province, respectively, whereas that of ursolic acid was 35.01% from Yunnan province. Based on cluster analysis, the classification index was built at high, middle and low levels. The trierpenoid contents in 2 major loquat germplasms (Guifei and Changhong No. 3) were at high level. Therefore, three loquat germplasms (Guifei, Xiangzhong No. 1 and Changhong No. 3) were selected for high contents of three triterpenoids.
