Comprehensive evaluation of fruit quality traits in longan ‘Fengliduo’ × ‘Dawuyuan’ sexual progenies

• F1 progeny of the longan cultivars ‘Fengliduo’ × ‘Dawuyuan’ were studied.
• Twenty-four fruit quality traits were measured for three growing seasons.
• Variance, correlation and principal component analyses were used to evaluate the data.
• Eight aggregate indicators of value for selection and breeding were identified.
• Two hybrid individuals with valuable genotypes for breeding were found.

In this study, the fruit quality traits of the ‘Fengliduo’ × ‘Dawuyuan’ F1 progenies were assessed over three consecutive years and evaluated using variance analysis, correlation analysis and principal component analysis. The analyses indicated that 24 fruit quality traits showed extreme differences but also interdependence, with coefficient of variation (CV) ranging from 5.52% to 61.99% and Shannon–Weiner diversity index (H′) ranging from 0.40 to 1.90. These fruit quality traits were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) of 8 aggregate indicators derived from the 24 single indicators. The results of these aggregate indicators analysis were highly consistent with the actual observations. Our analyses identified two hybrid individuals with superior traits that will be of value for further study.