EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION DATE ON PERIMMON "COSTATA" VEGETATIVE AND FLOWER BUD DEVELOPMENT, FRUIT SET AND CHARACTERISTICS

Gibberellic acid (GA3) at 500 and 1000 ppm alone or combined with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA); Ethrel (ethephon) at 1000 ppm and urea at 10% treatments were sprayed after picking date of persimmon "Costata" fruits during 1996 and 1997 seasons. All treatments of GA3 at 500 and 1000 ppm alone or combined with NAA at 10 ppm delayed defoliation as compared with the control. On the other hand, Ethrel at 1000 ppm and urea at 10% treatments accelerated defoliation as com­pared with unsprayed trees. All treatments accelerated defoliation as compared with unsprayed trees. All treatments of GA3 delayed vegeta­tive and flower bud burst, development of flower buds and picking date as compared with the control. On the contrary, Ethrel and urea treatme­nts accelerated vegetative and flower bud burst, flower bud develop­ment and picking date as compared with the control. The delaying of de­foliation resulted from the treatment of 1000 ppm GA3 caused the highest fruit set, fruit weight, volume and fruit dimensions as compared with the control and other GA3 treatments. The treatments of Ethrel and urea were not effective on fruit set, yield, fruit weight, volume and fruit dimensions as compared with the control. All treatments of GA3 alone or combined with NAA increased fruit firmness and total soluble solids as compared with control. Total tannins' content and total acidity were not affected by all the treatments of study.