RECENT ADVANCES OF PERSIMMON RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY IN CHINA

According to FAO data (2012), China (excluding Chinese Taipei) is the largest cultivator and producer of persimmon in the world. Since 1991, China’s persimmon yield has continuously increased. In the past ten years, 37 monographs about persimmon have been published. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 articles have been published in the last four years. The Persimmon Section of Chinese Society for Horticultural Sciences was formally established in October, 2008, and the Executive Council Meeting assemble annually since then. National Persimmon Conferences have met five times since 2006. In the last four years, a genetic improvement system in Chinese PCNA persimmon has been established. Some androecious germplasms bearing only staminate flowers and originating from China were explored. At present, their taxonomic position and application as pollen donator are being evaluated. New dateplum (Diospyros lotus L.) type as rootstock, which has grafting compatibility with ‘Fuyu’ persimmon, has been screened. Removing fruit astringency by CO₂+MA has been widely used. In addition, the potentials for persimmon tannins as antioxidants, relief agent of snake poison, and metal adsorbents are being exploited now.