Persimmon Species Research Articles

‘Dar Sofiyivky’ as a new Ukrainian cultivar of persimmon (Diospyros L.)

Aim. Creation of new domestic persimmon cultivars (Diospyros spp.) adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of Ukraine will contribute to the introduction of new fruit plants into the industrial horticulture that combines high productivity and fruit quality, enriches the assortment of food products and improves the components of rational alimentation. Methods. Field studies of the persimmon species, cultivar and form collection, hybridization and station testing of hybrid seedlings have been conducted in the orchards of State Enterprise Experimental Facility “Novokakhovska” of Institute of Rice of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (Kherson region). In vitro seed germination of and two-year hybrid persimmon seedlings growth has been carried out in the Department of Genetics, Breeding and Reproductive Biology of Plants of the National Dendrological Park "Sofiyivka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The rest of the experiments and data statistical analysis have been done using generally accepted methods in breeding. Results. Advantages of D virginiana L. in hybridization with D. kaki Thunb. to increase the persimmon adaptability to unfavorable wintering factors have been confirmed in the extreme temperature conditions of the winters of 2005–2006 and 2011–2012. In the hybrid progeny from free pollination of the ‘Kolhospnytsia’ cultivar with the American persimmon D. virginiana in the genealogy, a new cultivar ‘Dar Sofiyivky’ has been selected. It combines increased winter hardiness with good fruit quality, early fruit production and early ripeness. In 2019, the cultivar ‘Dar Sofiyivky’ has been included in the State Register of Plant Varieties suitable for distribution in Ukraine. In vitro technologies have been used in the tissue culture laboratory of the “Sofiyivka” Dendrological Park for germination of interspecific hybrids seeds, which have insufficient germination in the field. A initial hybrid seedling has been obtained, from which the ‘Dar Sofiyivky’ genealogy is derived. Conclusions. Horticultural plant breeding, in particular persimmons (Diospyros spp.), in areas with ecologically different contrasting conditions within the framework of a single program to increase the adaptability of plants and the quality of fruits is promoted to accelerate breeding and expand the northern border cultivation of thermophilic fruit crops.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Salt Tolerance Mechanisms Present in Date-Plum Persimmon Rootstock (Diospyros lotus L.)

Agriculture needs solutions for adapting crops to increasing salinity globally. Research on physiological and molecular responses activated by salinity is needed to elucidate mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Transcriptome profiling (RNA-Seq) is a powerful tool to study the transcriptomic profile of genotypes under stress conditions. Persimmon species have different levels of tolerance to salinity, this variability may provide knowledge on persimmon species and development of salt--tolerant rootstocks. In this study, we conducted a physiological and transcriptomic profiling of roots and leaves in tolerant and sensitive plants of persimmon rootstock grown under saline and control conditions. Characterization of physiological responses along with gene expression changes in roots and leaves allowed the identification of several salt tolerance mechanisms related to ion transport and thermospermine synthesis. Differences were observed in putative H+/ATPases that allow transmembrane ionic transport and chloride channel protein-like genes. Furthermore, an overexpression of thermospermine synthase found in the roots of tolerant plants may indicate that alterations in root architecture could act as an additional mechanism of response to salt stress. These results indicate that Diospyros lotus L. exhibits genetically-controlled variability for salt tolerance traits which opens potential opportunities for breeding salt-tolerant persimmon rootstocks in a Mediterranean environment challenged by drought and salinity.

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

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.

The persimmon (Diospyros oleifera Cheng) genome provides new insights into the inheritance of astringency and ancestral evolution

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an oriental perennial woody fruit tree whose popular fruit is produced and consumed worldwide. The persimmon fruit is unique because of the hyperaccumulation of proanthocyanidins during fruit development, causing the mature fruit of most cultivars to have an astringent taste. In this study, we obtained a chromosome-scale genome assembly for ‘Youshi’ (Diospyros oleifera, 2n = 2x = 30), the diploid species of persimmon, by integrating Illumina sequencing, single-molecule real-time sequencing, and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture techniques. The assembled D. oleifera genome consisted of 849.53 Mb, 94.14% (799.71 Mb) of which was assigned to 15 pseudochromosomes, and is the first assembled genome for any member of the Ebenaceae. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the D. oleifera genome underwent an ancient γ whole-genome duplication event. We studied the potential genetic basis for astringency development (proanthocyanidin biosynthesis) and removal (proanthocyanidin insolublization). Proanthocyanidin biosynthesis genes were mainly distributed on chromosome 1, and the clustering of these genes is responsible for the genetic stability of astringency heredity. Genome-based RNA-seq identified deastringency genes, and promoter analysis showed that most of their promoters contained large numbers of low oxygen-responsive motifs, which is consistent with the efficient industrial application of high CO2 treatment to remove astringency. Using the D. oleifera genome as the reference, SLAF-seq indicated that ‘Youshi’ is one of the ancestors of the cultivated persimmon (2n = 6x = 90). Our study provides significant insights into the genetic basis of persimmon evolution and the development and removal astringency, and it will facilitate the improvement of the breeding of persimmon fruit.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals genetic divergence and domestication genes in Diospyros

BackgroundPersimmon (Diospyros kaki) is the most economically cultivated species belonging to the genus Diospyros. However, little is known about the interspecific diversity and mechanism of domestication, partly due to the lack of genomic information that is available for closely related species of D. kaki (DK). Here, we performed transcriptome sequencing on nine samples, including DK, a variety of DK and seven closely related species, to evaluate the interspecific genetic divergence and to identify candidate genes involved in persimmon domestication.ResultsWe obtained a total of 483,421 unigenes with N50 at 1490 bp in the nine Diospyros samples and identified 2603 orthogroups that were shared among all the samples using OrthoMCL analysis. A phylogenetic tree was established based on the tandem 2603 one-to-one single copy gene alignments, showing that DK was closely related to D. kaki var. silvestris (DKV) and that it clustered with the clade of D. deyangnsis (DD) and was farthest from the D. cathayensis (DC) species. The nonsynonymous substitutions (Ka), via synonymous substitution (Ks) ratios, was directly proportional to the genetic relationship of the different species. The higher the Ka/Ks ratios, the longer the distance was. Moreover, 31 positively selected genes (PSGs) involved in carbohydrate metabolism and phenolic metabolism were identified and isolated, and nearly all PSGs except the MATE gene had a high expression in the DK or DKV species. It was hypothesized that these genes might contribute to the domestication of the DK species. Finally, we developed the expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) and identified 2 unique amplicons DKSSR10 and DKSSR39: the former was absent in the DC species but was present in the other species, the latter had a long amplification product in the DJ species.ConclusionThis study presents the first transcriptome resources for the closely related species of persimmon and reveals interspecific genetic divergence. It is speculated that DK is derived from the hybridization of DD and DO species. Furthermore, our analysis suggests candidate PSGs that may be crucial for the adaptation, domestication, and speciation of persimmon relatives and suggests that DKSSR10 and DKSSSR39 could potentially serve as species-specific molecular markers.

Distribution of mite species (Acari) on persimmon trees in Turkey (Ordu), with one newly recorded mite species and one re-described species

ABSTRACTPersimmon is a deciduous and perennial tree of the Ebenaceae family. Diospyros kaki Thunb. and Diospyros lotus L. are the most common persimmon species in Turkey and cultivated especially in the northeastern parts of the country. This study was carried out to determine the mite species on D. kaki and D. lotus in the Ordu province (Black Sea region, Turkey) during 2012 and 2013. The survey was conducted weekly between April and October of each year. Leaf samples were collected from nine different districts (Altınordu, Çaybaşı, Fatsa, Gülyalı, İkizce, Kabadüz, Perşembe, Ulubey, and Ünye) of the Ordu province. Thirty-five mite species representing three orders were found in the surveys. Tydeus goetzi Schruft, 1972 (Prostigmata: Tydeidae) is newly discovered from Turkey and here described and illustrated. Brachytydeus paraobliqua (Panou & Emmanouel, 1996) (Prostigmata: Tydeidae) is re-described and its trito- and deutonymph are described for the first time. The results also showed that predatory mites formed the larger component of the mite fauna on persimmon.

Population dynamics of mites (Acari) on Diospyros kaki Thunb. and Diospyros lotus L. (Ebenaceae) trees in Ordu, Turkey

Populations of mites (Phytoseiidae, Stigmaeidae, Cunaxidae, Cheyletidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tarsonemidae, Tydeidae, Acaridae) were monitored on Diospyros kaki Thunb. and Diospyros lotus L. (Ebenaceae) in Ordu, Turkey during 2012 and 2013. Phytoseiid, tydeid and acarid populations were higher on D. kaki (both seasons). Cunaxid populations were higher on this species in 2012. Tenuipalpids (2012) and stigmaeids (2013) were significantly more abundant on D. lotus . Populations of pest mites did not reach high levels in persimmon trees not exposed to pesticides. A significant positive correlation between rainfall and tenuipalpid (both persimmon species in 2013) and cunaxid ( D. lotus , 2013) populations. There was also a significant negative correlation between relative humidity and tydeid ( D. kaki in 2012) and cunaxid ( D. kaki in 2013) populations. Temperature showed generally a positive correlation with mite populations, however, a significant negative correlation was detected in tenuipalpid (both species in 2012, D. kaki in 2013) and cheyletid populations ( D. kaki in 2012).

Development of simple sequence repeat markers in persimmon (Diospyros L.) and their potential use in related species.

Persimmon (Diospyros L.) is an economically important fruit in the world, and it has been recognized as a healthy nutrient supply for human consumption. In this study, 14 microsatellite markers were developed from an AG/TC and AC/TG-enriched genomic library of Chinese persimmon Mopanshi. Twelve polymorphic markers were selected in 4 related species; these markers showed transferability to the 4 related persimmon species. In addition, 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to detect the genetic diversity among 51 persimmon accessions from China, Japan, and Korea. A total of 57 polymorphic bands with an average of 5.7 bands per primer pair were observed. According to cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis, all persimmon accessions could be divided into 4 groups. A close relationship existed between D. kaki and D. oleifera, and D. glaucifolia and D. lotus. Jinzaoshi could be considered a separate species of persimmon. These new SSR markers provide tools for evaluating genetic relatedness among different persimmon species.

Genetic diversity and relationships between and within persimmon (Diospyros L.) wild species and cultivated varieties by SRAP markers

Persimmon (Diospyros L.) is one of the most important fruits worldwide and it has been recognized as a health nutrient supply for human consumption. In this study, sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were used to characterize the genetic diversity of seven species of Persimmon, aiming at exploiting valuable wild resources for breeding new cultivars. Our results show that 303 out of a total of 303 bands amplified with 11 SRAP primer combinations reveal highly polymorphism. The 48 genotypes of persimmons were divided into five groups using the unweighted pair-group method of arithmetic average cluster analysis and principal coordinated analysis. The clusters results show that not only interspecies among seven persimmon genus, but also inner-species of each genus could be clearly differentiated. The phylogenetics positions of Deyang yeshi, Yemaoshi and Jinzaoshi have been elucidated. The results also indicated that wild Chinese persimmon species bear diverse genetic makeup.

Morphological and organoleptic fruit properties of various persimmon species (Diospyros spp.)

The goal of the study was to assess the morphological and organoleptic fruit characteristics of various persimmon species and their derived food products. For experimental evaluation we used persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.f.), (D. lotus L.), and (D. virginiana L.) and interspecific hybrids derived from crosses (D. virginiana L. x D. kaki L.f.). Fruits of the assessed species were obtained from Slovakia and Ukraine We determined in comparison of persimmon fruits statistically significant difference ​​of average weight (100.85 grams), height (47.88 mm), width (54.50 mm) and a ratio of flesh fruit weight (94%). Statistically significantly lower levels in comparison with other species were determined for D. lotus fruits (4.37 grams, 17.58 mm, 17.58 mm and 70%). For fruits of D. virginia we obtained (21.07 grams, 28.06 mm, 33.14 mm and 85%) and interspecific hybrids are not determined significant differences in the studied traits (60.91 grams, 40.68 mm, 47.48 mm and 95%). Generally is the smallest number of seeds in fruits in interspecific hybrids (1.7 pieces) and at most D. lotus (4.5 pieces). The weight of seeds / calyx in the fruit were determined by 1.5% (inter-species hybrid) to 6.5% (species D. lotus and D. virginia). Sensory analysis was conducted on fresh fruits and mixture with yogurt, cottage cheese and cream carriers. We constructed a custom classifier (List of descriptors and its scales) for evaluation of persimmon fruits. In the organoleptic characteristics, we identified significant differences between the mainly species. Fruits of D.lotus were distinguished for their acidity and bitterness. Organoleptic attributes of all assesed samples is very similar. We determined persimmon fruits as the most preferable by taste properties. Cream was determined as best carrier for persimmon fruit as a component part of milk products.

Genetic diversity of introduced and local Spanish persimmon cultivars revealed by RAPD markers

Persimmon culture has become an alternative for fruit growers in Italy, Israel and Spain. However, there is some confusion concerning cultivar identification in non-Asian countries were the species was introduced. Authenticating the identity of germplasm resources of persimmon would be a great value for breeding. Due to the floral biology of the persimmon species the expected genetic variability is high. RAPD markers were chosen for this study of persimmon germplasm resources in Spain. Nineteen markers were obtained from 8 primers. The average of 2.4 markers/primer was higher than that obtained in other woody fruit species. The availability of data referenced from isozymes and pomological traits revealed complete agreement among groups identified by RAPDs, isozymes and pomological traits. Results suggest that RAPD technology is adequate for fingerprinting persimmon and the data is consistent with persimmon's hypothetical origins, adaptation history and previous classification by isozymes or pomological traits. Many synonyms have been identified, mostly in cultivars from local surveys, suggesting that a few new genotypes arose in Spain since the species was introduced to Europe. By means of RAPD markers, a better identification of the European persimmon germplasm is available.