UPLC-MS/MS-Based Metabolomic Profiling of Pollinated Loquat Fruits Reveals Cultivar-Specific Differences Between...

Bee pollination enhances the yield and fruit quality of loquats (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.). However, the systemic effects of pollination on fruit metabolomics, particularly the metabolic differences among various cultivars following pollination, remain unclear. This study examined the metabolome of Baihua loquats following pollination by Apis cerana and compared it to that of unpollinated fruits. A total of 1964 metabolites were identified, including 334 differentially expressed metabolites. After analyzing ripe fruits of the white-fleshed loquat (Baihua, BH) and red-fleshed loquat (Dahongpao, DHP) following pollination, a total of 635 differentially expressed compounds were identified, with flavonoids, phenolic acids, and amino acids being the most abundant among the differentially expressed metabolites. This study further elucidated the biosynthetic pathways of phenylpropanoids, which account for the differences in the accumulation of BH and DHP in loquat following pollination. Consequently, these findings enhance our understanding of the overall metabolome of pollinated loquats, deepen our knowledge of polyphenolic metabolism in different loquat varieties, and provide new insights into the flavor differences between white-fleshed and red-fleshed loquats.