Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) Trees Responses to Restrictions in Water Amount and Quality

Abstract Persimmon cultivation is gaining importance in many semiarid areas of the world. In this chapter, existing information in the literature on persimmon water requirements and responses to variations in water supply and quality are summarized. It is concluded that persimmon water needs can be particularly high during summer, when the crop coefficient can reach values close to or even above 1.0. To cope with water scarcity, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) has been shown as a useful technique for reducing fruit drop in persimmon trees. Late RDI strategies during fruit ripening can accelerate fruit color development resulting in earlier harvesting but with lower fruit weight. This chapter also provides important information on persimmon tree responses to salinity, along with methods to alleviate the detrimental impacts of low-quality irrigation waters on tree performance.