EARLY FIELD PERFORMANCE OF MICROPROPAGATED JAPANESE PERSIMMON TREES

Growth of micropropagated Japanese persimmon trees (Diospyros kaki L. cv. Nishimurawase) during the initial 3 years after field establishmen t was compared with that of grafted trees on seedling stocks. Judging from the mean length of annual shoots per tree and the yearly increase s in height, trunk diameter, and top and root dry mass, the grafted tr ees on seedling stocks grew poorly during the first and second growing seasons, while micropropagated trees, raised in an outdoor nursery, d eveloped poorly only during the first growing season. In contrast, mic ropropagated trees raised in pots fared well soon after field establis hment. These trees had more fine than middle and large roots; in contr ast, grafted trees on seedling stocks had one large taproot, which die d back to some extent after field establishment, with few fine roots.