Abstract:In order to explore the influences of different calcium treatments on apple fruit quality, in this study, we used three apple varieties of ‘Fuji’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Pink Lady’ as plant materials, and the fruits were sprayed with three calcium treatments, calcium chloride, calcium nitrate and calcium amino acid, 30 days before harvest. The basic fruit quality indicators were detected by conventional methods, and the aroma compounds of fruit were determined by headspace solidphase microextraction and gas chromatographymass spectrometry. Comprehensive evaluation of 13 fruit quality indexes after calcium treatments used principal component analysis and linear weighted summation. This study explored and compared the effect of calcium treatments on improving the fruit quality of different apple varieties, so as to provide a theoretical basis for improving the fruit quality of apple. The results showed that: (1) preharvest spraying calcium treatments had no significant effect on the single fruit weight of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Golden Delicious’, but the single fruit weight of ‘Pink Lady’ increased significantly after calcium chloride and calcium amino acid treatment. (2) Preharvest calcium chloride treatment had the most significant increase on the sugartoacid ratio and the hardness of the fruit; The calcium nitrate treatment had the most significant effect on improving the brightness and color saturation of peels. After the calcium amino acid treatment, the content of aroma components of the apple fruits had been greatly improved. (3) Principal component analysis and comprehensive score chart showed that the comprehensive index of fruit quality are all better than the control after being treated with three calcium treatments. The comprehensive score of fruit quality was the highest by treating with calcium amino acid. The study found that 30 days before harvest calcium treatment can effectively improve the color, sugar and acidity, hardness and aroma of apple fruit and among them, the treatment effect of amino acid calcium was the best, and it was the most effective in improving the fruit quality of ‘Pink Lady’ apples.