ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Nutrition
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1680899
Effects of Microbial Fertilizer and Green Manure Cropping Systems on Fruit Quality of Korla Fragrant Pear
Provisionally accepted
- 1Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
- 2Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Korla Fragrant Pear(Pyrus sinkiangensis Yu), a high-value Geographical Indication product from Xinjiang, China, faces declining fruit quality due to soil degradation from intensive monoculture. This study investigated microbial fertilizer (JF) and green manure (oil sunflower - DK1, DK2; sweet clover - CM1, CM2) intercropping in a pear orchard to improve soil and fruit quality, compared to conventional fertilization (CK). Comprehensive analyses assessed soil properties, fruit minerals, metabolites (monosaccharides, fatty acids, amino acids), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).Both JF and green manure treatments improved soil physicochemical properties, with CM1 showing the greatest effect. Treatments JF, CM1, CM2, DK1, and DK2 significantly increased fruit K, P, Fe, and Mn content but significantly decreased Zn content. JF significantly enhanced monosaccharide accumulation, while CM1 and high-density oil sunflower (DK2) notably increased fatty acid and free amino acid content. However, all treatments (JF, CM1, CM2, DK1, DK2) significantly reduced total fruit VOCs.Correlation analysis indicated fruit Zn content was positively correlated with most VOCs. Reduced Zn inhibited alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) activity, leading to decreased VOC synthesis. Therefore, while CM1 is recommended as the optimal strategy for improving basic nutritional quality and soil fertility, coordinated zinc nutrition management is essential when implementing green manure to balance nutritional enhancement with maintaining characteristic flavor, ensuring sustainable industry development.
Keywords: Korla fragrant pear, Green manure, flavor, volatile compounds, zinc (Zn), Enzymes
Received: 06 Aug 2025; Accepted: 21 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ke, Li, He, Liu, Chai, Shen and Zeng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Zhongping Chai, chaizhongpingth@sina.com
Xing Shen, shenxing@xjau.edu.cn
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