Effect of Soluble Calcium and IBA Treatments on Fruit Characteristics and Browning of Blossom End Part in `Fuyu' Sweet Persimmon

Abstract

Sweet persimmon, `Fuyu', is the major cultivar for MA storage, but browning of blossom end part (BBEP) and darkening are occurring during storage and decrease fruit qualities in fresh fruit markets in Korea. The symptom of BBEP of fruit started to occur on the blossom end part and spread to the middle and stem end part. These fruits lose their marketable values. Calcium has very important role in cell membrane in physical and physiological. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of soluble Ca treatments of fertigation (FG) and foliar application (FA) on soil properties, tree growth and fruit quality and on the occurrence of BBEP. Ca content was high in Ca FA and Ca + IBA FG compared to other treatments. This increase might affect the soil pH, and so pH followed the same pattern of Ca content in soil. In leaves and fruits, Ca content was much higher in Ca Ca FA and Ca + IBA, Ca FG, respectively. Ca content in fruit parts showed stem end part “middle part” blossom end part. In fruit quality, fruit firmness, soluble solid content and fruit weight did not show any tendency in treatments. The occurrence rate of BBEP was very low 14% in Ca FA and 20% in Ca FG than 50% in control. These results showed that Ca content in soil, leaves and fruits was increased by soil FG and FA and the increased Ca content in blossom end part have a negative relationship with BBEP in sweet persimmon.