Comparison of Different Methods of Propagation of Persimmon Trees

The main factor limiting the spread of persimmon in Bulgaria is the risk of winter cold injury. Extremely low temperatures may be harmful for nursery trees in particular. The aim of this study was to develop persimmon propagation techniques outside nursery, avoiding the risk of cold injury to summer budded rootstocks and/or to scion buds, in the wintertime. Three methods were tested for the propagation of 'Hyakume' and 'Hiratanenashi' persimmon in 2005-2007. Diospyros lotus seedling rootstocks were chip-budded either at the beginning of August or at the beginning of April, or tongue grafted at the beginning of April. Rootstocks assigned for spring budding or grafting were stored outside through winter. The highest bud take assessed as a final output of nursery trees was noted with the chip-budding performed in April (98.2%). The tongue-grafting resulted in a high output of trees (95.4%) too. The lowest was the output of trees obtained from the chip-budding performed in August (70.9%). However, these trees were the highest and had the greatest number of lateral shoots.