FLORAL BIOLOGY AND POLLEN VIABILITY IN JAPANESE PERSIMMON CULTIVARS (Diospyros kaki L.) AND Diospyros virginiania L.

ABSTRACT

Persimmon tree is a very complex plant regarding floral biology, because it can present three types of flower (female, male or hermaphrodite) or only female as in the commercial cultivars. The objective of this research was to study the flowering period, flower types and to estimate pollen grains viability in nine D. kaki cultivars and in D. virginiana. Cultivars Pomelo and Rama Forte were the earliest for flowering beginning. Cultivar Pomelo and D. virginiana produced male flowers with viable pollen. The nine studied D. kaki cultivars presented females flowers (also male in Pomelo) as expected in commercial cultivars. Unexpectedly, cultivar Mikado presented male flowers with viable pollen at the end of the flowering period, what had not been previously reported. Pollen viability was generally over 90% for Pomelo, Mikado and D. virginiana.

Index terms
persimmon; phenology; pollen viability; flowering