ASHS 2025 Conference

Understanding fruit growth and developmental patterns is crucial, as they directly influence fruit size, morphology, and ultimately, yield. While conventional models describe fruit growth and development based on parameters for the whole fruit, how tissue growth in different fruit regions is coordinated to drive overall fruit growth and development remains unclear. Here, we investigated the relationship between the spatial variation of growth rates and fruit morphology in persimmon (Diospyros kaki), a fruit tree species with highly diverse fruit morphology. Starting two weeks after blooming, fruits from four cultivars were marked with dotted lines routinely. Those fruits were sampled and used for the reconstruction of 3D fruit models. The relative positions and distances between points marked were used as parameters for the local growth. All cultivars exhibited more active growth near the calyx than near the apex, particularly during the early stages of fruit development. However, the extent of these spatial differences varied among cultivars. In flattened fruits, growth was highly concentrated near the calyx, with remaining minimal in other portions. In contrast, elongated fruits exhibited a gradual growth gradient from the calyx toward the apex, with high growth even near the apex. These findings provide a foundation for fruit shape regulation and elucidation of physiological disorders in persimmon.