Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: ‘Triumph’ persimmon production in South Africa is export driven and the profitability of the industry is largely dependent on consumer demand and supermarket shelf space in the European market. In order to realise high returns, it is important to advance harvest maturity to attain early fruit that arrives on the market prior to European summer fruits. In addition, market feedback suggests that fruit picked during the second half of the harvesting period stores poorly and rapidly softens during shelf life. It is important to establish whether this is the case. The effect of paclobutrazol (PBZ) application rate on fruit maturity and keeping quality, return bloom and vegetative growth was investigated over two seasons. Advanced harvest maturity was attained at a compromise of reduced fruit storage quality and stunted growth with the severity of the compromise increasing with increasing PBZ application rate. To advance harvest maturity while maintaining acceptable keeping quality, PBZ application at 0.75 ml per plant is recommended although effects on harvest maturity will not persist into the subsequent season as found at higher application rates. Prohexadione-calcium (P-Ca) as an alternative for PBZ in advancing harvest maturity was evaluated over two seasons. A positive response to three foliar applications of P-Ca at 200 mg·L-1 was noticed in the first season. In the second season, a single application of P-Ca at 300 mg·L-1 two weeks before harvest significantly advanced harvest maturity. Due to the rapid metabolism of P-Ca in the plant, it is unlikely that growth in the subsequent season will be affected. Based on these results, the persimmon industry will undertake commercial trials in the 2012 season to further assess the efficacy of P-Ca application in advancing harvest maturity. The effect of various rest breaking agents (RBAs) on bud break, flowering, fruit maturity and quality as well as vegetative growth was assessed for one season. RBAs did not increase or advance bud break and flowering. Consequently, yield and harvest maturity were unaffected by the treatments. The ineffectiveness of the RBAs could be due to the low application rates used or the fulfilment of the chilling requirement prior to treatment application. An experiment was carried out to determine whether storability and shelf-life differ between “early” and “late” production areas in South Africa as well as between orchards within these areas. The data indicated that fruit colour is a good maturity parameter and indicator of fruit storability. However, “late” fruit were about 1 kg softer than “early” fruit at the same colour chart value. We therefore recommend that fruit from late regions are harvested at colour chart values of 5 and 6 (yellow-green) instead of 3 and 4. Fruit from “late” orchards as well as GA3-treated fruit with a colour chart value of 3 and less should be culled due to the high propensity (>20%) of these fruit to become soft during storage and shelf life. A delay in 1-MCP treatment and interruption of the cold chain considerably increased fruit softening during storage and shelf-life. Further research is required to verify this result. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘Triumph’ persimmon produksie in Suid-Afrika is uitvoergedrewe en die winsgewendheid van die bedryf is grootliks afhanklik van verbruikervraag en supermark spasie in die Europese mark. Ten einde hoë pryse te realiseer, is dit belangrik om ʼn vroeë oes te verkry sodat vrugte voor die Europese somervrugte op die mark beland. Mark terugvoer dui verder daarop dat vrugte wat tydens die tweede helfte van die oesperiode gepluk word, swakker opberg en vinnig sag word gedurende op die rak. Dit is belangrik om vas te stel of hierdie waarneming juis is. Die effek van paklobutrazol (PBZ) toedieningshoeveelheid op vrugrypwording en - houvermoë, opvolgblom en vegetatiewe groei is oor twee seisoene ondersoek. Oesrypheid is vervroeg, maar tot nadeel van vrughouvermoë en vegetatiewe groei. Die omvang van die negatiewe effekte van PBZ het toegeneem met ʼn toename in toedieningshoeveelheid. Ten einde oesrypheid te vervroeg terwyl aanvaarbare houvermoë behou word, word toediening van PBZ teen 0.75 ml per plant aanbeveel alhoewel die effek op oesrypheid anders as die geval met hoër toedieningshoeveelhede nie in die opeenvolgende seisoen sal voortduur nie. Proheksadioon-kalsium (P-Ca) as alternatief tot PBZ om oesrypheid te vervroeg is oor twee seisoene gee-valueer. ʼn Positiewe effek op vrugrypwording is in die eerste seisoen verkry met drie blaartoedienings van P-Ca teen 200 mg·L-1. In die tweede seisoen is oesrypheid betekenisvol vervroeg deur ʼn enkel toediening van 300 mg·L-1 P-Ca ʼn maand voor oes. Vanweë hierdie resultate gaan die persimmonbedryf in die 2012 seisoen kommersiële proewe onderneem om die effektiwiteit van P-Ca om oes te vervroeg, verder te ondersoek. Die effek van verskeie rusbrekende middels (RBAs) op bot, blom, vrugrypheid, vrugkwaliteit en vegetatiewe groei is vir een seisoen ondersoek. RBAs het bot en blom vervroeg of vermeerder nie en het daarom ook geen effek op produksie en oesrypheid gehad nie. Die oneffektiwiteit van die RBAs kan moontlik toegeskryf word aan die lae toedieningsvlakke wat gebruik is of aan die kouebehoefte wat bevredig is voor toediening van RBAs. ʼn Eksperiment is gedoen om vas te stel of die opberging- en houvermoë van vrugte verskil tussen “vroeë” en “laat” produksieareas in Suid-Afrika en ook tussen boorde in hierdie areas. Die data dui daarop dat vrugkleur ʼn goeie rypheidsparameter en indikator van opbergingsvermoë is. Vrugte van laat areas was egter omtrent 1 kg sagter as vrugte van vroeë areas van dieselfde kleur. Ons beveel gevolglik aan dat vrugte van laat areas by ʼn kleurkaartwaarde van 5 tot 6 (geelgroen) geoes word eerder as by 3 tot 4. Vrugte van laat boorde sowel as vrugte wat met GA3 behandel is met ʼn kleurkaartwaarde van 3 en laer moet afgradeer word weens die hoë geneigdheid (>20%) van hierdie vrugte om sag te word tydens opberging en op die rak. Uitstel van 1-MCP behandeling en die onderbreking van die koueketting veroorsaak ʼn aansienlike toename in sagte vrugte tydens opberging en op die rak. Verdere navorsing word benodig om hierdie resultaat te verifieer.