Mentor: Hank Stevens, Ph.D.

Diospyros virginiana, also known as the American persimmon, is a fruit tree native to the Eastern United States. Within the genus Diospyros is the Asiatic Persimmon (D. kaki), which is commercially available. However, the American species is not commercially available because they are difficult to ship, produce tannic/astringent fruit, and have an unappealing look because they bruise easily. This makes the American Persimmon lack commercial viability. Though closely related, Diospyros kaki has more desirable traits, making it a more suitable, commercially viable fruit. Some desirable traits include size, taste, and fertility.

This project's goal is to introduce a breeding program that might make the American persimmon a more widely used, commercially viable fruit by breeding some already established cultivars that have desirable traits to make the “perfect” American persimmon.

Explore Project