Relationships between Flesh Firmness and Sugar Composition in Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) Fruits

Abstract

The relationship of flesh firmness to sugar composition of flesh was studied in Japanese persimmon fruits during treatment of removal of astringency and storage at 20°C. A decline in flesh firmness was observed during treatment for removing astringency and storage, accompanied with the decrease of sucrose and the increase of fructose and glucose.
Close correlation was obtained between the decline of flesh firmness and the decrease of the ratio of sucrose to total sugar. The coefficients of correlations were 0.771^***(n=102) (cv."Hiratanenashi") and 0.701^***(n=22) ("Hiratanenashi" and three other cultivars) during deastringency treatment and storage, respectively. Those for cv. "Sakushumishirazu", "Takura"and "Atago" during deastringency treatment were also 0.899^***(n=9), 0.934^***(n=9) and 0.612^*(n=9), respectively.