The compositions of phenolic compounds in 10 cultivars of two mulberry species (Morus atropurpurea Roxb. and Morus alba Linn.) grown in four regions of China were analysed using HPLC-TOF-MS. Results showed that a total of 27 phenolic compounds were identified in these mulberry cultivars. The Taiwan cultivar from the Jiangsu region showed the highest concentration of hydroxycinnamic acids, quercetin derivatives, and anthocyanins. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that six mulberry cultivars grown in the region of Jiangsu, Ningxia, and Guangdong were differentiated regarding their species feature and regional characteristics. Cyanidin rhamnosylglucoside, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, dihydroquercetin, and quercetin were further screened out to be the key compounds for the differentiation of these cultivars. The correlation between the regional climate feature (including rainfall, humidity, and temperature) and the accumulation of phenolic compounds in these mulberry cultivars was established.
Keywords: HPLC-TOF-MS; Mulberry; meteorological parameters; phenolic compounds.