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Cultivars recommended as pollinizers for ´Fuyu´ persimmon (Diospyros kaki) include a Korean ´Johongsi´ and Japanese ´Nishimurawase´ and ´Zenjimaru.´ Fruits of these cultivars are either small-sized or pollination-variant nonastringent. It is thus necessary to reevaluate pollinizers not only for a better fruitset of ´Fuyu´ but for its own commercial value. Along with those recommended cultivars, six local strains of persimmons, designated as A through F, were evaluated in 1992 for their potential value as a pollinizer. ´Fuyu´ full-bloomed on May 30. ´Nishimurawase´, local strains E and F bloomed two to three days earlier than ´Fuyu´. Local strain B was characterized by the longest blooming period. ´Zenjimaru´ and local strains A, C, E and F had more stamens and pollens. Stamens of local strains A and B and ´Nishimurawase´ were heavier but contained fewer pollens. Evaluation of fruit characteristics of nine pollinizers revealed that a non-astringent local strain A and an astringent local strain B were considered most suitable. Local strain C contained less total soluble solids, but its commercial value was considered high because of its size, pollination-constant non-astringency and early maturity. Seasonal growth pattern and the characteristics of ´Fuyu´ fruits were not affected by the pollen sources. Based on blooming period and fruit characteristics, it was concluded that local strains A, B, and C were more suitable pollinizers´ for ´Fuyu´ than ´Johongsi´, ´Nishimurawase´, and ´Zenjimaru´.
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