Abstract:In order to establish an accurate and reliable identification method for dwarf-traits of litchi, and comprehensively evaluate the dwarf degree of part of the litchi germplasm resources, 120 litchi germplasm resources were used as materials to investigate and determine eight candidate dwarfing-related morphological indicators of length of new branch (LNB), diameter of new branch (DNB), length of common petiole (LCP), diameter of common petiole (DCP), length of internode (LI), length of single leaf (LSL), width of single leaf (WSL) and thickness of single leaf (TSL) with correlation analysis, normal distribution test, membership function, and principal component analysis. The results showed that all the 8 morphological indicators had good genetic diversity, fitting or approximating the normal distribution characteristic. Except for TSL, the other seven indicators had significant or extremely significant correlations. With principal component analysis, two principal components were obtained to explain 72.738% of the original data information, and seven indicators (excluding TSL) were preliminarily identified as the main morphological indicators of the comprehensive evaluation of litchi dwarfing, which could be used to effectively evaluate the dwarf traits of litchi germplasms. After comprehensive evaluation of dwarfing, the 120 litchi germplasms were divided into 5 grades, including 9 germplasms in grade I (dwarf), 10 in grade II (semidwarf), 69 in grade III (subarboreous), 25 in grade IV (arboreous), and 7 in grade V (very arboreous). According to this evaluation approach, we screened out a number of dwarf and semi-dwarf germplasm resources such as ‘Nuomici’, ‘Miaozhongnuo’, ‘Ziniangxi’, ‘Yamulong’, ‘Nongmei 12 Hao’, and ‘KOM’. The above results indicated that based on the determination and analysis of the seven major morphological indicators, the comprehensive evaluation method of litchi dwarf degree was accurate and reliable, which would provide the scientific basis for more in-depth exploration and development of litchi dwarf resources.