Androecious Genotype ‘Male 8’ Carries the CPCNA Gene Locus Controlling Natural Deastringency of Chinese PCNA Persimmons

Abstract The androecious genotype of Diospyros spp . ‘Male 8’, which is distributed in Dabie Mountain area of the central China, was probably derived from the hybrids or natural variation of Chinese pollination constant and non-astringent (CPCNA) persimmon. Its application potential as the breeding parent of pollination constant and non-astringent (PCNA) is undefined. In this study, we identified the astringency type of a hybrid individual (H8-2) derived from the cross between ‘Huashi 1’ (pollination variant and astringent, PVA) and ‘Male 8’. Through comparison with the known genotypes of CPCNA, Japanese PCNA (JPCNA) and non-PCNA, the results of soluble/insoluble tannin content and tannin cell size measure showed that H8-2 was a PCNA genotype with the characteristic of natural deastringency of CPCNA. According to the currently known genetic features of PCNA persimmon, a new individual of PCNA may be generated in F 1 population when two JPCNA genotypes are crossed or when the CPCNA genotype is used as a parent. Thus, the study verifies that androecious genotype ‘Male 8’ carries the dominant gene locus that controls the non-astringent trait of CPCNA, indicating its potential to be used as pollen donor for the genetic improvement of PCNA persimmon.