In deciduous fruit trees, the carbohydrate's metabolism are recognized as the main mechanism that ensures their survival during the rest period. Besides it, the very same metabolism is related to the productive potential in subsequent harvest seasons. Knowing how the plants use those carbohydrates during their development and growth is an important step in the right direction to understand the relation source-drain more effectively along with building up the fundamentals of some handling practices, for instance, the pruning and fruit thinning. The objective of the present study was to characterize how the total soluble sugars content and the starch vary in woody organs of the persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki L) in elapsing of its phenological development. This study was carried out in the experimental area of the Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ) in Piracicaba - SP, during the cycle 2002/2003. The phenology of persimmon tree was described by the occurrence period and prolongation of shoot growth, flowering, fruit growth, leaf expansion and natural abortion of fruits. The carbohydrates content in stems and roots were analyzed based on different phenological stages. The results showed a significant variation in the starch and total soluble sugars content in the sampled organs. The starch's mobilization in stems was of foremost importance to sustain the beginning of a new growing cycle. It is worth mentioning that the consumption of starch was increased during the leaf fall and therefore a replacement in its stock took place, not only in the stems but also in the roots, during the flowering and the leaf abscission.
phenology; development; starch
