New perspective for evaluating the main Camellia oleifera cultivars in China

To assess the adaptability of Camellia oleifera for introduction in new growth locations, this study evaluated 10 representative C. oleifera cultivars from the main areas in China where this oil-producing evergreen crop is grown. Cluster analysis, correlation analysis, and membership function analysis were used to evaluate various indices of the selected C. oleifera cultivars, including flowering phenology, cold tolerance, leaf structure, pollen characteristics, and pollen viability. The correlation analysis identified the full blossoming time, leaf palisade and spongy tissue thickness, pollen deformity rate, and pollen activity as key indices for determining the adaptability of the cultivars to new areas. The membership function analysis of the 10 C. oleifera cultivars revealed the following order of adaptability: ‘XLC25’ > ‘Changlin4hao’ > ‘Ganzhouyou8hao’ > ‘Ganzhouyou6hao’ > ‘Tiechengyihao’ > ‘Eyou465’ > ‘XLC10’ > ‘Changlin3hao’ > ‘Changlin18hao’ > ‘QY235.’ When introducing C. oleifera cultivars to new regions, the higher-ranked cultivars are more likely to be successful. The results of this study may provide a new direction for the comprehensive assessment of plant introduction and domestication potential, i.e., the assessment of the vegetative and reproductive growth, adversity resistance, and blossoming time of plants.