Dynamic changes of anthocyanin accumulation and endogenous hormone contents in blueberry

In order to explore the dynamic changes of anthocyanin accumulation and endogenous hormone contents in blueberry, in this study, taking the fruits of 5-year-old cultivars 'Sierra' and 'Sunrise' as experimental material, the contents of anthocyanin, soluble sugar, five endogenous hormones(ZT, ABA, IAA, GA₃, ETH) and their correlations were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography, differential colorimetric method and other technologies. The content of soluble sugar in the whole blueberry fruit was analyzed by HPLC. The results showed that during the development of fruit, the accumulation of glucose and fructose was the main, and the accumulation of soluble sugar in blueberry fruit was mainly at the later stage of fruit development. The content of ethylene (ETH) in blueberry fruit was determined by gas chromatography, IAA, GA₃, ZT, ABA were determined by ELISA kit. The results showed that the contents of GA₃ and ZT in the blueberry fruit were lower than those in control, the whole trend was to rise first and then decline, and a peak occurred in the middle of fruit development. IAA content overall declined in the growth and development of blueberry, while the content changes of ABA and ETH in blueberry fruit showed a rising trend in general. During the whole growth and development period of blueberry fruit, correlation analysis of anthocyanin content, soluble sugar content and endogenous hormone content showed that, ABA and ETH are the important inducing factors for sugars and together to promote fruit ripening and the accumulation and synthesis of anthocyanin. IAA restrained the accumulation of sugars and anthocyanin synthesis. However, the regulation function of GA₃ in the above field was not obvious. ABA, IAA and ETH coordinatedly regulate the process of fruit ripening.