Quality evaluation of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple from different ecological regions in Tibet and its response to meteorological factors

A meteorological factor evaluation system for ‘Golden Delicious’ apple quality was investigated through correlation and regression analyses of fruit quality and meteorological factors of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple varieties in four ecological regions in Tibet. Results showed that the qualities of the ‘Golden Delicious’ apple exhibited significant differences in the four regions, with the highest quality found in Nyingchi. The mean annual temperature, average temperature in July, mean annual temperature diurnal range, ≥ 10℃ accumulated annual temperature, average annual sunshine hours, average annual rainfall, and altitude were the main meteorological factors that affected fruit quality in the high attitude areas of Tibet. An altitude of 2857.9 m, annual average temperature of 13.2℃, average temperature in July of 15.9℃, mean annual temperature diurnal range of 12.7℃, ≥ 10℃ accumulated annual temperature of 2310.5℃, average annual sunshine of 2532.6 h, and average annual rainfall of 636.7 mm were the optimum values for the highest quality ‘Golden Delicious’ apple. Thus, the larger the mean annual temperature diurnal range, the better the fruit quality. In this study, the main meteorological factor evaluation system on ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit quality was obtained for the high attitude area of Tibet, with mean annual temperature diurnal range found to be the primary evaluation factor.