Prospects of persimmon (Diospyros l.) in the south of Ukraine

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the efficiency of introduction and adaptation of persimmon, prospects of its cultivation in the south of Ukraine, which is considered a zone of risky agriculture. Results and Discussion. The article presents results of multi-year studies of both introduced and our own (resulted from breeding) Diospyros L. accessions. The first experience of persimmon growing outside the southern coast of the Crimea indicates that the weather in the Khersonska Oblast are quite consistent with biological characteristics of persimmon and that persimmon accessions suitable for cultivation in personal plots, dachas, amateur and farm orchards if one follows proper agricultural technologies. In multi-year studies, persimmon plants in the Khersonska Oblast were demonstrated to go through all stages of seasonal development during the growing period. Fruits are set, fully ripen and give viable seeds. Persimmon virginiana is the most freezing tolerant of all persimmon species. It has the longest and deepest dormance. Scion rooted P. virginiana can withstand frosts down to -35-37°С, and grafted P. virginiana  -30°С and below. Diospirus kaki accessions specimens have various freezing tolerance. Mature trees tolerate a drop in temperature to -16-18°C and less often to -22°C, giving a yield in the next growing year. Hybrid persimmon inherited the best from its parents - fruit size (50-250 g), and most importantly, freezing tolerance (-20  -27 ° C), depending on the variety. The palatable qualities of the parents (flavourless of D. kaki and flavorfulness of P. virginiana) were harmoniously combined in hybrid persimmon. In addition, the efficiency of the introduction and adaptation of persimmon accessions in the South of Ukraine was evaluated. Conclusions. The efficiency of the introduction and adaptation as well as the prospects of cultivation of the Diospyros L. species in the South of Ukraine, namely, at the State Enterprise "Experimental Farm Novokakhovske” of the Institute of Rice of NAAS, were assessed. According to the introduction successfulness, all accessions were grouped into sufficiently promising, promising and insufficiently promising. The adaptation index is 55 to 95 (the adaptation degree varies from satisfactory to complete); this characterizes the Diospyros L. species as a promising crop for cultivation in amateur and farm orchards not only in the South of Ukraine, but also in the western and central regions of the country.