Analysis of organic acids in loquat leaves

Organic acids in fresh leaves of twelve loquat [Eriobotrya japonica(Thunb.) Lindl.] cultivars were investigated by the high-performance ion-exchange chromatography(HPIC).The major organic acid in fresh leaves of loquat was quinate(2.336-(5.487) mg·g~(-1)).The remaining organic acids were L-malate(0.233-0.777 mg·g~(-1)),tartrate(0.126-0.691 mg·g~(-1)),fumarate(0.149-0.436 mg·g~(-1)),α-ketoglutarate(0.153-0.359 mg·g~(-1)),oxaloacetate(0.154-0.313 mg·g~(-1)),citrate(0.026-0.228 mg·g~(-1)),isocitrate(0.002-0.026 mg·g~(-1)),cis-aconitate(very low),β-coumarate(very low) and ferulic acid(very low).Three groups(high-acidity,normal-acidity and low-acidity) were classified from twelve cultivars through cluster analysis.