Isozyme Identification of Japanese Persimmons ( Diospyros KakiL): Comparisons of Cultivars in California and Japan

Abstract

There has been considerable confusion concerning the identity of oriental persimmon cultivars ( Diospyros kakiL.) in California. Most scion material used for propagation in recent years came from collections at the University of California South Coast Field Station (SCFS), the Wolfskill Experimental Orchards (WEO) at the University of California, Davis, or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Introduction Gardens at Chico, California. To verify cultivar identification, glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) and PGM isozymes patterns were used to compare the cultivars at the SCFS and WEO with cultivars at Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Pollination status and astringency were also used for evaluation of the SCFS cultivars. Several cultivars could not be compared since they are not present at Kyoto. However, among 108 trees in the UC collections the identity of 31 trees was verified and 13 mistakes were detected. Extensive isozyme variability was observed between cultivars. Isozyme analysis in persimmon was more difficult than for other species that we have studied ( Primus, Vitis,ana Juglans) because of the large number of bands for GPI and PGM and the polyploid nature of D. kaki.