Fig. 2

Principal components analysis (PCA) reveals spatial and temporal characteristics of apple fruit metabolism. Fruit metabolite concentration data during fruit development, across different tissue-types and in response to fruit load reduction were subjected to PCA. The first and second principal components explained 77% of variation in data and are displayed here (a). The ovals with dashed margins display three clusters separated based on temporal variation in fruit metabolism in the cortex. The square boxes with dashed margins display two clusters separated based on spatial variation in fruit metabolism. Fruit load reduction treatment was performed at 11 d after full bloom. The numbers above the symbols indicate days after treatment. Letters next to the numbers indicate treatment and fruit tissue type. CC: Control fruit load-Cortex (circle); CP: Control fruit load-Pith (diamond); RC: Reduced fruit load-Cortex (square); RP: Reduced fruit load-Pith (triangle). The loadings plot for principal components 1 and 2 (PC1 and PC2) are displayed (b). The name of the metabolite is presented next to the corresponding symbol