Carbon Budget Pattern and Carbon Compensation Standard of Xinjiang Tianshan World Natural Heritage Site

Clarifying the pattern of regional carbon balance and determining the carbon compensation standards ofstakeholders are the keys to building a regional carbon compensation mechanism and promoting regional carbonneutrality.The land use area of the Xinjiang Tianshan World Natural Heritage Site in 1980,2000,2010,and 2020was interpreted using remote sensing technology(RS)and geographic information system(GIS),and the netecosystem productivity model was used to calculate the carbon sink of the forest,grassland,water area,and cultivated land ecosystem in the heritage site.The IPCC carbon emission factor method and carbon footprint methodwere used to calculate the tourism and animal husbandry carbon emissions,and the carbon sink evolution characteristics,carbon emission structure characteristics,and carbon budget pattern of the heritage sites were analyzed.Further,the carbon compensation for tourists in the heritage site was calculated using the carbon compensation coefficient correction model and the tourists’willingness to pay method.The results demonstrated that(1)thecarbon sinks of the heritage sites decreased from 1980 to 2020,with those of grassland,cultivated land,forest land,and wetland exhibiting different degrees of decline.(2)The whole heritage site had a carbon deficit of 8.67×10^(6)tCO_(2).Tourism carbon emission was the main carbon source,accounting for more than 95%,whereas livestockcarbon emissions accounted for only 4.12%.The carbon emission intensity of regional human activities exceededits ecological carbon sink carrying capacity,and tourists were the main carbon compensators in heritage sites.(3)The theoretical compensation of tourists in the heritage site was 25.23 yuan p^(-1)yr^(-1),and the willingness to compensate was 14.78 yuan p^(-1)yr^(-1)(nonparametric estimation)and 5.93 yuan p^(-1)yr^(-1)(parametric estimation).Further,the standards for carbon compensation by tourists calculated using the two methods differed.Therefore,whenformulating the carbon compensation standards for stakeholders,the responsibility weight of the compensationsubject should be clarified,and the regional carbon balance and the willingness to pay of the compensation subjectshould be comprehensively considered.By adopting scientific and reasonable carbon compensation standards,carbon compensation mechanisms in the region can be effectively implemented.

Satellite remote sensing reveals overwhelming recovery of forest from disturbances in Asia

Forest ecosystems play key roles in mitigating human-induced climate change through enhanced carbon uptake;however,frequently occurring climate extremes and human activities have considerably threatened the stability of forests.At the same time,detailed accounts of disturbances and forest responses are not yet well quantified in Asia.This study employed the Breaks For Additive Seasonal and Trend method-an abrupt-change detection method-to analyze the Enhanced Vegetation Index time series in East Asia,South Asia,and Southeast Asia.This approach allowed us to detect forest disturbance and quantify the resilience after disturbance.Results showed that 20%of forests experienced disturbance with an increasing trend from 2000 to 2022,and Southeast Asian countries were more severely affected by disturbances.Specifically,95%of forests had robust resilience and could recover from disturbance within a few decades.The resilience of forests suffering from greater magnitude of disturbance tended to be stronger than forests with lower disturbance magnitude.In summary,this study investigated the resilience of forests across the low and middle latitudes of Asia over the past two decades.The authors found that most forests exhibited good resilience after disturbance and about two-thirds had recovered to a better state in 2022.The findings of this study underscore the complex relationship between disturbance and resilience,contributing to comprehension of forest resilience through satellite remote sensing.

Characterization and correlation of engineering properties with microstructure in peanuts:A microscopic to macroscopic analysis

Peanut varieties are diverse globally,with their characters and nutrition determining the product quality.However,the comparative analysis and statistical analysis of key quality indicators for peanut kernels across the world remains relatively limited,impeding the comprehensive evaluation of peanut quality and hindering the industry development on a global scale.This study aimed to compare and analyze the apparent morphology,microstructure,single-cell structure,engineering and mechanical properties,as well as major nutrient contents of peanut kernels from 10 different cultivars representing major peanut-producing countries.The surface and cross-section microstructure of the peanut kernels exhibited a dense“blocky”appearance with a distinct cellular structure.The lipid droplets were predominantly spherical with a regular distribution within the cells.The single-cell structure of the kernels from these 10 peanut cultivars demonstrated varying morphologies and dimensions,which exhibited correlations with their mechanical and engineering properties.Furthermore,the mass loss versus temperature profiles of the peanut kernels revealed five distinct stages,corresponding to moisture loss,volatile loss,protein denaturation,and the degradation of various biomacromolecules.Variations were also observed in the lipid,protein,and sucrose contents,texture,bulk density,true density,porosity,geometric mean diameter,and sphericity among the diferent peanut varieties.This study establishes relationships and correlations among microstructure,engineering properties,and nutritional composition of commonly grown peanut varieties in major peanut-processing countries.The findings provide valuable insights into peanut quality evaluation,empowering the peanut industry to enhance their processing and product development efforts.

Spatio-temporal patterns of drought in North Xinjiang, China, 1961–2012 based on meteorological drought index

Drought, which is one of the most frequently occurring severe hazards with long time scales and cov- ering wide geographical areas, is a natural phenomenon resulting in significant economic losses in agriculture and industry. Drought is caused by an imbalance between the inputs of and the demand for water which is insufficient to meet the demands of human activities and the eco-environment. As a major arid and semi-arid area and an important agricultural region in Northwest China, North Xinjiang （NX） shows great vulnerability to drought. In this paper, the characteristics of inter-annual and seasonal drought were analyzed in terms of drought occurrence and drought coverage, by using the composite index of meteorological drought and the data of daily precipitation, air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity and sunshine duration from 38 meteorological stations during the period 1961-2012. Trend analysis, wavelet analysis and empirical orthogonal function were also applied to investigate change trend, period and regional characteristics, respectively. In NX, annual and seasonal drought occurrence and drought coverage all showed a decreasing trend that was most significant in winter （with rates of-0.26 month/10a and -15.46%, respectively）, and drought occurrence in spring and summer were more frequent than that in autumn and winter. Spatially, drought was severe in eastern regions but mild in western regions of NX. Annual and seasonal drought occurrence at 38 meteorological stations displayed decreasing trends and were most significant in ＂Shi- hezi-Urumqi-Changji＂, which can help to alleviate severe drought hazards for local agricultural production and improve human livelihood. NX can be approximately classified into three sub-regions （severe drought region, moder- ate drought region and mild drought region）, which were calculated from annual drought frequencies. The cross wavelet transform suggested that SOl （Southern Oscillation Index）, AOI （Arctic Oscillation Index）, AAOI （Antarctic Oscillation Index）, PAOI （Pacific/North American Oscillation Index） and NAOI （North Atlantic Oscillation Index） have significant correlation with the variation of drought occurrence in NX. To prevent and mitigate the occurrence of drought disasters in NX, agricultural and government managers should pay more attention to those drought events that occur in spring and summer.

Identification of SNPs and expression patterns of FZD3 gene and its effect on wool traits in Chinese Merino sheep(Xinjiang Type)

As a member of the Frizzled family, Frizzled3 (FZD3) is a receptor of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway and plays a vital role in mammalian hair follicle developmental processes. However, its effects on wool traits are not clear. The objectives of this study were to identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the expression patterns of FZD3 gene, and then to determine whether it affected wool traits of Chinese Merino sheep (Xinjiang Type) or not. PCR-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and sequencing were used to identify mutation loci, and general linear model (GLM) with SAS 9.1 was used for the association analysis between wool traits and SNPs. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to investigate FZD3 gene expression levels. The results showed that six exons of FZD3 gene were amplified and two mutation loci were identified in exon 1 (NC_019459.2: g.101771685 T>C (SNP1)) and exon 3 (NC_019459.2: g.101810848, A>C (SNP2)), respectively. Association analysis showed that SNP1 was significantly associated with mean fiber diameter (MFD)(P=0.04) and live weight (LW)(P=0.0004), SNP2 was significantly associated with greasy fleece weight (GFW)(P=0.04). The expression level of FZD3 gene in skin tissues of the superfine wool (SF) group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of the fine wool (F) group. Moreover, it had a higher expression level (P<0.01) in skin tissues than in other tissues of Chinese Merino ewes. While, its expression level had a fluctuant expression in skin tissues at different developmental stages of embryos and born lambs, with the highest expression levels (P<0.01) at the 65th day of embryos. Our study revealed the genetic relationship between FZD3 variants and wool traits and two identified SNPs might serve as potential and valuable genetic markers for sheep breeding and lay a molecular genetic foundation for sheep marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Dynamic analysis and evaluation of Xinjiang forest resources:based on RS and GIS

The forest resources in Xinjiang were surveyed and analyzed based on RS and GIS. Satellite data interpretation was adopted to obtain the general situation of Xinjiang forest resources in assistance with the sampling method and on-the-spot investigations. Based on GIS, related data obtained from satellite remote sensing in 1996 and 2001 were studied through contrastive analysis. Moreover, the dynamic variation of Xinjiang forest resources was studied in an all-around way. In the past five years, the areas of the forestland, woodland, sparse woodland, nursery garden and the land usable for forestry in Xinjiang kept growing, moreover, the forest cover rate and the total standing stock volume increased correspondingly, showing that the wooded area and the amount of growing stock in Xinjiang were increasing. The forestland area in Xinjiang went up to 17,837 km^2 from 17,331 km^2, with an annual average increase of 101 km^2. Accordingly, the forest vegetation came to 1.08% from 1.05%, up 0.03 percentage point; the total standing stock volume went up to 289,985,200 m^3 from 262,416,000 m^3, a total increase of 27,569,200 m^3, an annual average increase of 5,514,000 m^3 and an annual average net growth rate of 2.00%. The analysis results showed that the forest resources in Xinjiang were increasing on the whole, however, there remained some problems, such as the sparse natural forests, low forest cover rate, imbalanced wood age structure, and mono tree species composition, etc.

Morphological and ISSR molecular markers reveal genetic diversity of wild hawthorns (Crataegus songorica K. Koch.) in Xinjiang, China

The wild hawthorn species, Crataegus songorica K. Koch., is an important wild germplasm resource in Xinjiang, China that has been endangered in recent years. The genetic diversity of C. songorica K. Koch. germplasm in five populations from Daxigou, Xinjiang, China were evaluated based on phenotypic traits and ISSR molecular markers to provide basic infor- mation on resource protection, rational utilization and genetic improvement. The F-value for the phenotypic differentiation coefficient of the 33 traits measured ranged from 0.266 to 15.128, and mean value was 13.85%. The variation among populations was found to be lower than that within population. A total of 303 loci were detected within the five populations by 12 primers. Within 298,polymorphic loci, the polymorphism was 98.35%, showing a high genetic diversity in C. songorica K. Koch. The gene diversity within population, total population genetic diversity, genetic differentiation coefficient and gene flow were 0.2779, 0.3235, 0.1408, and 3.0511, respectively. Our results showed that C. songorica K. Koch. from Xinjiang has a high level of genetic diversity at both the phenotypic and molecular levels. Significant genetic differentiation existed within population and the differentiation trend showed a regional association. And in this study, in situ and ex situ conser- vation approaches were raised for wild hawthorn protection utilization.

Reproductive Strategy and Cycle of the Toad-headed Agama Phrynocephalus grumgrzimailoi(Agamidae) in Xinjiang,China

The reproductive strategy and cycle of Phrynocephalus grumgrzimailoi were studied at a locality close to Urumqi City, Xinjiang, China. The hatchlings of P. grumgrzimailoi need at least two years to reach sexual maturity, with the smallest mature male and female measured 48.02 mm and 47.01 mm snout-vent length(SVL), respectively. Adult females produce a single clutch per breeding season, with the clutch size ranging from 1 to 5. The clutch size and mass are significantly correlated with female SVL. There is no correlation of mean egg size with clutch size and relative fecundity in P. grumgrzimailoi, suggesting that the trade-off is absent between mean egg size and number. Females increase reproductive output mainly through increasing egg numbers. The copulation period lasts from April to June. Females begin vitellogenesis in April and lay eggs from May to July. Our results suggest that toad-headed lizards tend to select different reproductive strategies to adapt themselves to their arid or semi-arid habitats.

The Cotton Stalk and Its Utilization as Ruminant Feed Resource in Xinjiang

Two separate experiments were carried out: the first one involved a study of the chemical and some intrinsic feed characteristics of raw cotton stalk( CS) and the efficiency of chemical,biological treatments on the improvement of the feed value of CS. CS was treated with chemical treatment by mixing 3% Ca( OH)2( CS + Ca),3% urea( CS + U),3% urea +3% Ca( OH)2( CS + Ca + U). Moreover,CS was treated with biological treatment by inoculation of either Lentinus edodes( CS + Po) or Pleurotus ostreatus( CS + Pl) or crushing CS by adding minor ingredient processed into pellet feed,samples from all treatment were analyzed for the nutrients,In vitro dry matter digestibility( INDMD) and free gossypol detoxification rate. The second investigated was the use of crushed or granulation CS as a test feed followed by voluntary feed intake and preference test with sheep. CS + Ca + U treatment can reach up the CP and IVDMD to 9% and 36%,respectively. CS + Po decreased the fiber component and improved CP content and IVDMD. The free gossypol content declined and the free gossypol detoxification rate reached more than 50%. By feeding sheep under the same level of concentrate and corn silage,the voluntary feed intake and daily weight gain in granulation group is higher than in crushing group( P < 0. 05). Crushing CS by adding minor ingredient processed into a pellet feed was best in terms of improved nutritional quality,feed intake and preference,and it was safe and practical method that can be widely used in sheep production systems,to promote the CS feed utilization in similar areas.

Water-use efficiency in response to simulated increasing precipitation in a temperate desert ecosystem of Xinjiang, China

Water-use efficiency（WUE） is a key plant functional trait that plays a central role in the global cycles of water and carbon. Although increasing precipitation may cause vegetation changes, few studies have explored the linkage between alteration in vegetation and WUE. Here, we analyzed the responses of leaf WUE, ecosystem carbon and water exchanges, ecosystem WUE, and plant community composition changes under normal conditions and also under extra 15% or 30% increases in annual precipitation in a temperate desert ecosystem of Xinjiang, China. We found that leaf WUE and ecosystem WUE showed inconsistent responses to increasing precipitation. Leaf WUE consistently decreased as precipitation increased. By contrast, the responses of the ecosystem WUE to increasing precipitation are different in different precipitation regimes： increasing by 33.9% in the wet year（i.e., the normal precipitation years）and decreasing by 4.1% in the dry year when the precipitation was about 30% less than that in the wet year.We systematically assessed the herbaceous community dynamics, community composition, and vegetation coverage to explain the responses of ecosystem WUE, and found that the between-year discrepancy in ecosystem WUE was consistent with the extent to which plant biomass was stimulated by the increase in precipitation. Although there was no change in the relative significance of ephemerals in the plant community, its greater overall plant biomass drove an increased ecosystem WUE under the conditions of increasing precipitation in 2011. However, the slight increase in plant biomass exerted no significant effect on ecosystem WUE in 2012. Our findings suggest that an alteration in the dominant species in this plant community can induce a shift in the carbon-and water-based economics of desert ecosystems.

The Coupling Coordination Evolution Research of Economy - Ecology - Society System in Xinjiang：Based on the Interaction Perspective of Water Resources

Under the water resources perspective,coupling coordination of economy-ecology-society system in Xinjiang was taken as the research object. By building the coupling evaluation index system of the water resources-economy-ecology-society system,quantitative evaluation and analysis of the coupling coordination of the water resources-economy-ecology-society system from 2001 to 2014 were conducted. The results showed that benefit indexes of economic system and social system grew rapidly,while benefit indexes of water resources system and ecosystem fluctuated smoothly from 2001 to 2014; coupling state of the whole system was at rival stage,and coupling coordination was reluctant coordination type,and the coupling index was slightly higher than the coupling coordination index. Moreover,it showed that the more the coupling systems,the lower indices of coupling and the coupling coordination.

Crepis desertorum(Asteraceae,Cichorieae),a new species from northern Xinjiang(China)based on morphological and molecular data

Crepis desertorum from the Junggar Basin of no rthern Xinjiang,northwestern China,is described as a new species.Molecular studies indicate that the species is closely related to Crepis frigida.Morphological studies indicate that it is similar to Crepis sancta subsp.bifida but differs from the latter taxon in having glandular hairs on the stem,a flat receptacle and dimorphic achenes.Chromosome features and pollen and achene ultrastructure also are described for the new species.

Changes in the relationship between species richness and belowground biomass among grassland types and along environmental gradients in Xinjiang, Northwest China

The association between biodiversity and belowground biomass(BGB) remains a central debate in ecology.In this study, we compared the variations in species richness(SR) and BGB as well as their interaction in the top(0–20 cm), middle(20–50 cm) and deep(50–100 cm) soil depths among 8 grassland types(lowland meadow, temperate desert, temperate desert steppe, temperate steppe desert, temperate steppe, temperate meadow steppe, mountain meadow and alpine steppe) and along environmental gradients(elevation, energy condition(annual mean temperature(AMT) and potential evapotranspiration(PET)), and mean annual precipitation(MAP)) based on a 2011–2013 survey of 379 sites in Xinjiang, Northwest China.The SR and BGB varied among the grassland types.The alpine steppe had a medium level of SR but the highest BGB in the top soil depth, whereas the lowland meadow had the lowest SR but the highest BGB in the middle and deep soil depths.The SR and BGB in the different soil depths were tightly associated with elevation, MAP and energy condition;however, the particular forms of trends in SR and BGB depended on environmental factors and soil depths.The relationship between SR and BGB was unimodal in the top soil depth, but SR was positively related with BGB in the middle soil depth.Although elevation, MAP, energy condition and SR had significant effects on BGB, the variations in BGB in the top soil depth were mostly determined by elevation, and those in the middle and deep soil depths were mainly affected by energy condition.These findings highlight the importance of environmental factors in the regulations of SR and BGB as well as their interaction in the grasslands in Xinjiang.

Detection of Three Virus Diseases and Their Distribution in Xinjiang Melon Region using Multiplex RTPCR Technique

Using homologous cloning method, partial fragments of coat protein （CP） gene of WMV, CMV and ZYMV were cloned from virus-infected melon in Xinjiang. The reaction system of multiplex RT-PCR was optimized based on singleplex RT-PCR amplification conditions, using single factor analysis. Forth-eight samples were tested separately with multiplex RT-PCR. The results showed that both assays run to consistent results. The optimized multiplex RT-PCR system had certain accuracy and stability, and could be used for quick detection, pathogen identification and positive screening of WMV （ Watermelon mosaic virus）, CMV （ Cucumber mosaic virus）, and ZYMV （Zucchini yellow mosaic virus）. The distribution status and infection form of three kinds of viruses was determined in main melon growing area of Xinjiang, providing theoretical foundation and experimental evidence for virus diseases control, field testing, epidemiological investigation and melon virus-resistant breeding in Xinjiang.

The Evolutive Law concerning Relationship between Economic Growth and Farmers' Income Increase in Xinjiang since the Reform and Opening-up:An Empirical Analysis of the VEC Model

We select the per capita gross domestic product and rural residents' per capita net income in Xinjiang as the indicator variables to measure economic growth and farmers' income increase in Xinjiang, respectively. We establish the cointegration equation, the vector error correction (VEC) model, and use the impulse response function to conduct empirical analysis of the evolutive law concerning relationship between economic growth and farmers' income increase in Xinjiang during the period 1978-2010. The results show that there is a cointegration relationship between economic growth in Xinjiang and farmers' income increase; the former plays an important role in promoting the latter, following the evolutive law "first intensify, then abate, intensify again, and finally become stable". We put the following policy recommendations: providing preferential policies for farmers, scientifically and rationally guiding the transfer of rural labor; improving the function of agriculture, increasing the proportion of non-farm income; gradually bridging the widening income gap between urban and rural areas, coordinating urban and rural development.

Self-incompatibility Characteristics of 34 Apricot Cultivars in Xinjiang

[ Objective] This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-incompatibility strength and characteristics related to pollination and fertilization of different apricot varieties in Xinjiang. [ Method] The pollen amount, pollen germination rate, pollen tube growth status and fruiting setting rate by self-pollina- tion of 34 apricot cultivars in Xinjiang were determined, to analyze the self-incompatibility of different apricot cultivars. [ Result] The average pollen amount per anther of 34 apricot eultivars was 1 213.7, and the average pollen germination rate was 46.0%. There were great differences in the self-incompatlbility of different cuhivars ; most pollen tubes of the euhivars with high self-incompatibility stopped elongating at 1/3 or 1/2 part of the styles, and only a few pollen tubes of the euhivars with low self-incompatibility reached the ovary, and the normal fertilization ratio was significantly lower than that in self-compatible cultivars. [ Conclusion] Among the 34 apricot cuhivars, only 6 cuhivars were self-compatible and the others exhibited gametophyte self-incompatibility. In addition, the fruit setting rate by self-pollination was low.

Warming effect of desert and its impact on oasis heat resources and agricultural productivity in arid land,China

This paper provides a positive view of the desert, in terms of the warming effect of deserts on oases and the impact of heat re- sources and agricultural production. We use data from experimental sites in the Manas River Basin in China to characterize these relationships. We note that the warming effect of the desert was found to be significant but gradually reduced with in- creased distance of the oasis from the desert. The range of wanning effect is about 100 km, and the improvement in tempera- ture is about 1.8 ℃. Due to this warming effect, the desert serves as the second heat source for the oasis, which represents one important aspect of the ecologic value of the desert. Our results also show the warming effect has a strong spatial impact on agricultural productivity. Crop productivity fell by about 49 kg/ha with every 10 km increase in distance away from the desert. Our results imply that crop suitability must correspond to the warming effect of the desert. More efficient use of heat resources can contribute towards achieving potential productivity.

Estimation of Genetic Parameters for 305 Days Milk Yields and Calving Interval in Xinjiang Brown Cattle

This study was conducted to estimate variance components and genetic parameters for 305 days mature equivalent milk yields (MEM) and calving interval (CAI) of registered Xinjiang Brown cattle. The total records were 3940 including 2579 for 305-day MEM and 1970 for CAI, which were collected from Xinjiang Urumqi Cattle Breeding farm in China with calving records from 1990 to 2008. Genetic parameters were obtained by multiple trait derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood (MTDFREML) using animal model. The model included year, season, parity and calving interval of calving for 305 days MEM, and year, season and parity of birth for CAI as fixed effects. Heritability for 305 days MEM was moderate (0.39) and in the same range of parameters estimated in management systems with medium production levels. Heritability of calving interval was small (0.02) as fertility traits for Xinjiang Brown cattle. Estimates of genetic and environmental correlations between 305 days MEM and CAI were 0.47 and 0.37, respectively. Estimates of genetic variation and heritability indicated that selection would result in genetic improvement of production traits. Estimates of both heritability and genetic variation for CAI were small, which indicates that genetic improvement would be difficult.

Isolation and Identification of Pathogens Causing Foot Rot Disease of Bayinbuluk Sheep in Xinjiang

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the pathogenicity of Fusobacterium necrophrum in Bayinbuluk sheep of Xinjiang.[Method]The pathogens of 60 rotten limb tissue samples were isolated and identified from 2019 to 2021.The pathogenicity and bacteria were detected by using artificial infection test,bacterial identification instrument and high performance liquid mass spectrometer.[Result]A total of 3 pathogenic bacteria were isolated from foot rot disease of Bayinbuluk sheep,namely F.necrophrum,Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli,indicating a mixed infection.All of the isolates could cause death in mice,and the fatality rate of mice was 50%.[Conclusion]Foot rot disease is more common in the Bayinbuluk sheep flock in Hejing County of Xinjiang,and the disease can be controlled effectively by doing a good job of sanitary disinfection in the enclosure.

Comparative analysis of volatile compounds in different muskmelon cultivars in Xinjiang based on HS-SPME-GC-MS and transcriptomics

Volatile flavor has prompted a great amount of influence in acceptance and view points in fruit products.Melon(Pyrus communis)is an aromadense fruit,thus,the evaluation of volatile flavor is crucial to melon-breeding.The volatile compounds present in nine varieties of Xinjiang muskmelons were identified and analyzed using the headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods.In addition,transcriptomics were used to discover the differential genes in fatty acid degradation pathways.It was found that a total of 170 volatile substances,including 52 alcohols,41 esters,24 aldehydes,32 ketones,14 acids and seven phenols,were identified in the nine melons.Results of PCA showed that 3-nonanol,2-nonanol,bis(2-ethylhexyl)adipate,and 2-methylpropanal contributed more to the flavor of melon.It was verified that high activities of acyl-coenzyme A cholesterol acyltransferase(AAT)promoted the conversion of alcohols to esters,so that the melons have a high content of esters.Four genes of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase were mainly responsible for the large difference in volatile substances.This practice may further undermine the primary rationale for the breeding and promotion in different cultivars of muskmelon.