Growing persimmon

In Portugal, most of the commercialised persimmon trees come from scattered or bordered trees throughout the country, and are of little economic interest. However, there are currently a few well-managed, irrigated and highly productive orchards, mainly in the Algarve region. Producers in the Algarve intend to invest in the foreign market and the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture wants to increase the number of hectares of persimmon in the region. This paper describes the characteristics of the cultivars 'Fuyu', 'O'Gosho', 'Coroa de Rei'. 'Faufau' and 'Rojo Brilhante', the cultivation techniques, the most common pests and diseases, the physiological accidents and the dates of occurrence of the phenological stages in the Baixo Alentejo region are described. The most important aspects of harvesting, forced ripening and conservation are also mentioned. The aim of this work is to support producers interested in installing the crop and it can also serve as a manual for agronomy students in the area of fruit growing.