CROSS COMPATIBILITIES OF ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 'MOPANSHI' AND 'LUOTIAN-TIANSHI' WITH 'ZENJIMARU'

Intra-specific cross compatibilities of Oriental persimmon (Diospyros kaki) ‘Mopanshi’-(PCA) and ‘Luotian-tianshi’-(PCNA) with ‘Zenjimaru’-(PVNA) were investigated using a combination of UV fluorescence microscopy. The genetic relationships among the parent and the progenies obtained by embryo rescue were analyzed using RAPD molecular markers. The results showed: (1) viable pollens of ‘Zenjimaru’ loading on the ‘Luotian-tianshi’ stigma could germinate and the pollen tube showed a typically compatible growth along the stylar tissue after pollination; (2) a range of abnormalities in both pollen tube growth and callose deposition within the tube were observed in all parts of the pollinated ‘Mopanshi’ style, and a few normally seeds were obtained; (3) no obvious differences were shown in the fruit frequencies of ‘Mopanshi’ between the artificial pollination and un-pollinated experiments under bag covering conditions, which indicated that ‘Mopanshi’ fruiting was due to autonomic parthenocarpy; (4) the genetic analysis using RAPD markers showed that F₁ progenies of ‘Luotian-tianshi’ × ‘Zenjimaru’ contained the parents’ DNA. In contrast, some seedlings of ‘Mopanshi’ had no ‘Zenjimaru’ characteristically fragments, which suggested facultative apomixes occurred in ‘Mopanshi’.