Branch scoring encourages fruit development and climacteric in persimmon

Branch scoring of ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon (Diospyros kaki) increased fruit size at harvest and caused a significant shift in the distribution of fruit diameters to the larger sizes, the response magnitude depending on the date of scoring. Scoring at the 75–77 growth stage of the BBCH-scale encouraged the development of fruit which grew faster, reached commercial colour, ripening and flesh softness earlier, and therefore was harvested earlier. Although fruit weight was significantly increased by scoring, the number of fruit was not modified and there was not a significant increase in yield. Fruit from trees scored at the onset of cell enlargement stage initiate ethylene production before fruit from unscored trees. Scoring did not modify following yield.