Abstract
Figs (Ficus carica Linn.) are a new generation of economic forest crops with high nutritional value. This study aimed to clarify the intrinsic association between organic acids and the quality of figs after introducing multispecies. The figs introduced in Shandong are rich in organic acids and contain a wide variety of highly concentrated bioactive compounds. A total of 24 organic acids were detected in this experiment, 13 of which were newly detected. Citric acid was the main organic acid in Shandong-introduced figs, accounting for 66% of the total acid on average. This was followed by malic and citric acids, accounting for 15.9% and 11.6%, respectively. The mean total phenolic, flavonoid, and soluble solid contents were 1.627 mg/g, 0.588 mg/g, and 16.217 °Brix, respectively. The fig cultivar Banane had the highest total organic acid content and high total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The results of the partial least squares regression showed that the regression coefficients of caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chicoric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and quinic acid on the total soluble solids were in the range of 0.194–0.279, favoring the accumulation of total soluble solids. Trans-aconitic acid, citric acid, cis-aconitic acid, pyruvic acid, and tartaric acid promoted the accumulation of total phenolics and flavonoids. The regression coefficients ranged from 0.200 to 0.310 for total phenolics and 0.233 to 0.290 for total flavonoids. The discovery of a close intrinsic association between organic acids and nutrients provides a new reference basis for screening good fig cultivars and their nutritional development.