Abstract: The drought resistance of five cultivars of Chinese flowering crabapple including Royalty, Dolgo, Hopa, Pink Spires and Adams was comprehensively evaluated by subordinative function method under continous drought stress. The results of the study revealed that the retention capability of five crabapple cultivars under drought stress decreased in the order of Royalty>Hopa>Dolgo>Pink Spires>Adams. The descend range of chlorophyll content of Adams and Hopa was the minimum; the second was the Royalty; the descend range in Dolgo and Pink Spires was the maximum. The free proline accumulation was the maximum in Royalty and Adams; the second was Dolgo and Pink Spires; Hopa was the minimum. The accumulation of soluble protein in Pink Spires and Adams was the maximum and significantly higher than that in Dolgo, Royalty and Hopa. The accumulation of soluble sugar in Dolgo and Hopa was the largest; Pink Spires was the least. The accumulation of malondialdehyde in Dolgo was the highest; the second was Royalty, Hopa and Pink Spires; Adams was the least. The activity of superoxide dismutase showed as follows: Adams>Pink Spires>Royalty>Dolgo>Hopa. The activity of peroxidase showed as follows: Royalty>Hopa>Pink Spires>Dolgo>Adams. The activity of catalase in Royalty and Adam was significantly higher than that of other cultivars. The drought resistances of 5 cultivars were comprehensively evaluated by subordinative function method and their drought resistances were shown to decrease in the order of Royalty, Hopa, Pink Spires, Adams and Dolgo.

Key words: ornamental cultivars of crabapple, drought stress, physiological characteristics, drought-resistant ability comprehensive evaluation, Subordinative function method