Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production
HORMA 201 - M.Sc. (Ag.) Horticulture
UNIT III: Litchi, Loquat, Persimmon, Kiwifruit, Strawberry
Table of Contents
Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance,
Ecophysiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, rootstock influence,
planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient
management, water management, fertigation, bioregulation, abiotic factors limiting fruit
production, physiology of flowering, fruit set and development, abiotic factors limiting
production, physiological disorders-causes and remedies, quality improvement by
management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, precooling,
storage, transportation and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri Export Zones(AEZ) and industrial support.
Chapter 12 -
🟠 PERSIMMON (Diospyros kaki L.)
Common Names: Japanese Persimmon, Oriental Persimmon
Family: Ebenaceae
Origin: China (Primary Centre), Japan and Korea (Secondary Centres)
Chromosome number: 2n = 90 (hexaploid)
Type of fruit: Berry
Edible part: Pericarp (fleshy pulp)
🔹 1. Commercial Varieties of Regional, National & International Importance
- Fuyu: Most popular globally, non-astringent, firm, sweet
- Hachiya: Large, conical, astringent; used when fully soft
- Jiro: Flat-round fruit, sweet, seedless, non-astringent
- Early Round: Local Indian variety, medium-sized, cultivated in Himachal Pradesh
🔹 2. Ecophysiological Requirements
- Climate: Subtropical to mild temperate
- Temperature: Tolerates -10°C in dormant stage; optimal 15–25°C
- Chilling requirement: 100–400 hours (low compared to temperate fruits)
- Altitude: 900–2000 m asl in India
- Soil: Deep, well-drained loamy soil; pH 5.5–7.5
- Rainfall: 100–125 cm/year; avoid high humidity during ripening
🔹 3. Recent Trends in Propagation
- Rootstocks: Diospyros lotus (cold hardy), D. virginiana, D. kaki seedlings
- Method: Grafting (cleft, tongue), budding (chip or patch)
- Micropropagation: Under research; somatic embryogenesis in vitro successful
🔹 4. Rootstock Influence
- D. lotus: Most commonly used in India; dwarfing effect, compatible
- D. virginiana: Used in USA; drought and nematode tolerant
- D. kaki seedlings: Vigorous but less uniform and susceptible to soil stress
🔹 5. Planting Systems
- Spacing: 6 × 6 m or 5 × 5 m
- Planting time: February–March (spring) or July–August (monsoon)
- Pits: 1 × 1 × 1 m filled with FYM + topsoil
- Training: Modified leader system
- Pruning: Annual light pruning to maintain shape and improve light penetration
🔹 6. Cropping Systems
- Pure stand: Common
- Intercropping: Initial years with legumes or vegetables possible
🔹 7. Root Zone & Canopy Management
- Shallow feeder roots – avoid deep cultivation
- Mulching recommended to conserve moisture
- Canopy thinning to reduce fruit drop and increase sunlight penetration
🔹 8. Nutrient Management
- Micronutrients (Zn, B) critical for fruit set and size
- Apply N in 2–3 splits: bud break, fruit set, and post-harvest
🔹 9. Water Management
- Moderate water requirement
- Irrigation critical during fruit development (July–Sept)
- Avoid overwatering during ripening
🔹 10. Fertigation
- Drip irrigation combined with soluble NPK shows better yield and size
- Foliar feeding with micronutrients (B, Zn) improves fruit quality
🔹 11. Bioregulation
- GA₃ (50 ppm): Delays senescence and increases fruit size
- NAA (20 ppm): Reduces premature fruit drop
- Ethephon (500 ppm): Induces early ripening in astringent types
- Ethanol/CO₂: Used to remove astringency (artificial deastringency)
🔹 12. Abiotic Factors Limiting Fruit Production
🔹 13. Physiology of Flowering, Fruit Set & Development
- Flowering: May–June in India
- Types of flowers: Unisexual (mostly), occasionally perfect
- Pollination: Insect-pollinated (mainly bees)
- Parthenocarpy: Common in non-astringent varieties
- Fruit development: 4–5 months; growth follows a single sigmoid curve
🔹 14. Physiological Disorders – Causes & Remedies
🔹 15. Quality Improvement by Management Practices
- Balanced NPK fertilization
- Fruit thinning to maintain size and uniformity
- Ethanol/CO₂ or dry ice exposure for astringency removal
- Timely harvest and postharvest handling
🔹 16. Maturity Indices
- Color change from green to deep orange/red
- Fruit softness in astringent types
- TSS: 14–18 °Brix
- Seeds darken at maturity
🔹 17. Harvesting, Grading, Packing
- Harvesting: Hand-picked; stem retained to avoid damage
- Grading: Based on size, color, firmness
- Packing: Corrugated fiberboard boxes with tissue paper lining
- Delicate – handle gently to avoid bruising
🔹 18. Precooling, Storage & Transportation
- Precooling: 10°C to remove field heat
- Storage:
- Astringent types: 0–1°C, 90–95% RH for 2–3 months
- Non-astringent types: 0°C, up to 4 months.
- Ethylene-free environment for non-climacteric storage
🔹 19. Ripening Techniques
- Astringent fruits are ripened by CO₂, ethylene, ethanol dips, or hot water treatment
- Non-astringent types ripen naturally or with mild ethylene exposure
🔹 20. Industrial & Export Potential
- Used in jams, jellies, purees, dried slices
- Japan, Spain, Korea, and China are major exporters
- Growing market in Europe and Middle East
- Rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, and dietary fiber
🔹 21. Agri Export Zones (AEZ) & Industrial Support
- No AEZ in India yet
- Cultivation being promoted in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and NE Hills
- Potential for nutraceuticals, dried fruit exports, and value-added products
- Needs support in cold chain and processing infrastructure
Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production- Click here for all unit notes
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