New Japanese persimmon cultivar 'Yubeni'

Summary 'Yubeni' is a new non-astringent cultivar of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros Kaki Thunb.) released by the Persimmon and Grape Research Center (presently the Department of Grape and Persimmon Research) of the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, Akitsu, Hiroshima Japan, 1997. The fruit is distinguished by its red skin color and excellent eating quality. 'Yubeni' resulted from the cross 'Matsumotowas-Fuyu' * 'F-2' made in 1970. 'F-2' is a selection from the cross Jiro' * 'Okugosho'. It was primarily selected at Akitsu in 1985, designated as 'Kaki Akitsu-11', and has been tested using top-grafting technique at 32 locations in 30 prefectures under the fourth persimmon regional trial initiated in 1989. The 'Yubeni' fruit is flat shaped, weighing on an average of 230-280 g (similar to or little less than 'Fuyu' fruit) , and ripens in mid to late November. The skin is deep reddish orange, having value 8 in the Color Chart for 'Fuyu' (Yamazaki and Suzuki, 1980, Bull.Fruit Tree Res. Stn. A7:19-44), more reddish than leading commercial cultivars in Japan such as 'Fuyu', 'Jiro', 'Hiratanenashi', 'Saijo', and 'Atago'. The flesh is moderately fine, and juicy. Soluble solids content in juice is 17.8% in average, little higher than 'Fuyu'. The number of seeds in fruit is few, 0.8 in average. The fruit is of pollination constant and non-astringent type, in which the deastringency in fruit occurs naturally and stably on tree irrespective of the number of seeds contained in fruit when the tree is grown in warm areas. Its adaptable area is similar to 'Fuyu'. The fruit physiological disorder (fruit cracking at calyx end, cracking at stylar end, and skin blackening) is rare, and comparable to 'Fuyu'. Its shelf life is long (about two weeks), similar to 'Fuyu'. The tree is moderately vigorous, and intermediate between upright and spreading in shape. It does not produce male flower. The number of female flowers is less than 'Fuyu'. The trees treated with flower thinning show little physiological fruit dropping in the early fruit developmental stage in June and July. However, occasional fruit dropping has been observed in some locations in the late fruit developmental stage in August and September.