ISHS Acta Horticulturae 601: II International Persimmon Symposium
FRUIT SET AND SEED ABORTION IN PERSIMMON CVS. TONEWASE AND MAEKAWA-JIRO |
| Authors: | K. Hasegawa, Y. Kikuchi, A. Kitajima |
| Keywords: | Degeneration of endosperm, Diospyros kaki, Fruit set, Imperfect seed, Seed abortion |
| Abstract:
Set of pollinated and non-pollinated fruit and seed abortion in pollinated fruit were investigated in persimmon cvs. Tonewase (TW) and Maekawa-Jiro (MK-J). Flowers were hand pollinated by cv. Zenjimaru pollen in pollinated plots on branches, and were covered with paper bags throughout blooming on non-pollinated plots on branches. The numbers of fruit set were counted weekly after full bloom (AFB) in pollinated and non-pollinated plots. Fruits of pollinated plots were sampled from 4 weeks AFB to harvest. The numbers and size of aborted seeds were determined and embryo and endosperm tissues were histologically compared between aborted and normal seed. Fruit set of TW was higher in pollinated plots than in non-pollinated plots until 6 weeks AFB, but that was similarly low in both pollinated and non-pollinated fruit from 8 weeks AFB. Fruit set of MK-J was higher in pollinated plots than in non-pollinated plots. Aborted seeds were classified into two types: thinner seeds of small size (S) and full-sized thinner seeds (L). Both types of aborted seed and normal seed were observed in MK-J, but type L aborted seed and normal seed were rarely observed in TW. S type aborted seed in TW increased strongly from 6 weeks AFB and L type aborted seed in MK-J increased from 12 weeks AFB. The degeneration of endosperm and embryo in S types were observed from 6 weeks AFB, especially in TW. Physiological fruit drop of pollinated TW increased from 6 to 8 weeks AFB. It seems that physiological fruit drop may result from degeneration of the endosperm and embryo in pollinated TW. | |
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