Lia Hapsari, Wasilatul Khoiroh, Sukartini, Agus Sugiyatno, Anang Triwiratno, Nirmala Friyanti Devy, Agus Sutanto, Hardiyanto
This study investigates the adaptive responses of five apple varieties (‘Anna’, ‘Huanglin’, ‘Manalagi’, ‘Rome Beauty’, and ‘Royal Red’) by assessing leaf anatomical and ecophysiological traits under contrasting environments. The results reveal significant altitude-induced variations in leaf area, thickness, cuticle and epidermis structure, stomatal density, chlorophyll content, and specific leaf area (SLA). In lowland conditions, apple varieties developed smaller and thinner leaves, thicker cuticles, and epidermal layers to mitigate water loss under heat stress. ‘Royal Red’ and ‘Rome Beauty’ exhibited increased SLA, enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, while ‘Anna’ maintained both a thicker epidermis and cuticle for improved water retention. ‘Huanglin’ and ‘Manalagi’ adjusted by increasing the stomatal density to optimize gas exchange. A principal component analysis confirmed altitude-related differentiation in adaptive traits. The findings here offer valuable insights for breeding climate-resilient apple varieties suitable for tropical lowland cultivation under global warming scenarios. © 2026 Korean Society for Horticultural Science.
Research Center for Applied Botany, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Cibinong, 16915, Indonesia; Department of Biology, State University of Malang, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Research Center for Horticulture, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Cibinong, 16915, Indonesia
