Abstract:

The leaf color of the upper，middle and lower leaves of 62 ornamental crabapple cultivars were observed by X-rite color difference meter. The dynamic changes of the color of different cultivars in the growing season were studied，and established the evaluation system of the leaf color of the crabapple，on this basis，the fine foliage breed were selected. (1) Based on the L^*，C^*，h^°，three-dimensional dynamic figure of CIELCH color space at different leaf positions were built. All varieties of the upper leaves of the most abundant color，L^*，C^*，h^° sites are the most dispersed，the middle leaf color has faded；L^*，C^* showed a continuous downward trend，h^° showed an increasing trend；the lower leaf color becomes dark green，L^*，C^*were the lowest and h^°were the highest. (2) Based on the color parameter（L^*，a^*，b^*）of upper  leaves in May，the tree diagram of the leaf color cluster analysis was built. We found that 62 ornamental crabapple were divided into 2 major groups and 5 subgroups，including Green group（Dark green，Brownish green and Bright green）and Red group（Fuchsia and Reddish brown）. (3) Based on the results of cluster analysis and color parameters，the evaluation system and the evaluation system of leaf germplasm of ornamental crabapple were established. We found that M.‘Spring Snow’，M.‘Golden Raindrop’and M. floribunda were bright beautiful and have a high color regularity，this three cultivars were the fine germplasm in green group. In red group，M.‘Perfect Purple’，M.‘Purple Gems’，M.‘Thunderchild’，M.‘Cardinal’were red and beautiful and had a high level in regularity and stability，this four cultivars were the fine germplasm in red group.

Key words: crabapple, leaf color, CIELCH color space, chromatism, evaluate