Analysis on Leaf Color Variation of Eucommia ulmoides

Determinations were made on anthocyanin,chlorophyll,soluble sugar,phenylalanine ammonialyase(PAL) activity and dynamic pH(August to October,) in leaves of 6-year Eucommia ulmoides cuttings of green and purple leaf.Meanwhile,experiments were conducted on shading purple-color Eucommiae cuttings.The results showed that purple-leaf Eucommia had more content of anthocyanin and PAL activity but lower content of chlorophyll and pH value than green-leaf one.During August and October,purple-leaf Eucommia had a trend of increase of anthocyanin content,soluble sugar PAL activity,while decrease of chlorophyll content and pH value.Comparisons of two colored Eucommia demonstrated that the major effect of color variation was the content of anthocyanin and the ratio of anthocyanin/chlorophyll.Factors to influence content of anthocyanin and chlorophyll were PAL activity,temperature,pH value and light,but had low relation with soluble sugar and content of anthocyanin.