Transcriptomic analysis of interstock-induced dwarfism in Sweet Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.)

Abstract

Persimmon: Interstock alters water flow and hormone metabolism, prompting dwarfism The use of an interstock from a dwarf cultivar lowers the water conductance and affects hormone signal metabolism and transport of the sweet persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.), resulting in smaller and more manageable fruit-bearing trees. Shenchun Qu from Nanjing Agricultural University, China, and colleagues compared ‘Kanshu’ persimmon scions grafted on a ‘Diospyros lotus’ rootstock with and without an interstock from a rare dwarf cultivar called ‘Nantong-xiaofangshi’. The interstock-grafted plants moved water less efficiently through their stems. The same plants also exhibited gene activity patterns that correlated with lower levels of the key growth hormones auxin and gibberellic acid. Expressing one of those putative hormone-repressor genes in transgenic tobacco caused the plants to grow shorter. By helping elucidate the mechanisms of interstock-induced dwarfing, the findings could help improve future persimmon cultivation.