ORIENTAL PERSIMMON IN RUSSIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF FLORICULTURE AND SUBTROPICAL CROPS COLLECTION IS THE BASIS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF VALUABLE ECONOMICAL FEATURES

Abstract

Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops is the holder of the unique collection of Persimmon Oriental, which includes 22 varieties of domestic and foreign breeding introduced from China, Japan, USA, Italy, and also two species: Caucasus persimmon (Diospyros lotus L. ) and Virginian persimmon (Diospyros virginiana L.). The collection, is the basis for breeding work, particularly the screening of sources of valuable economical features, in order to create new varieties and forms. During researches, the sources of valuable economical and significant traits for breeding were identified - ‘Zenji-Maru’, ‘Geili’, ‘Fuyu’, ‘Djiro’, Diospyros virginiana, which are interested for breeding on yield, fruit quality (not astringency, mass and biochemical composition), resistance to extreme environmental factors. 2014-2017 period, nine crossbreeding combinations were conducting, a wide variety of hybrids obtained, 36 prospective forms were identified, eleven of which are elite for main characteristics. Using Diospyros virginiana in remote hybridization, new hybrid forms were obtained which unite both the mother and father’s features. These forms are valuable material for the identification of winter-resistant forms and may be involved in further hybridization. As result of research of the collection of the accessions, a conveyor of different ripening periods of persimmon Eastern varieties for the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Region was proposed. It was noted, that the group of early ripening varieties is too small and needs replenishment.