Evaluation of Quality Traits and Phytochemical Compounds of Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) Cultivars Grown in Samsun, Turkey

This study was conducted to compare fruit quality traits and phytochemical compounds of new Turkish persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) cultivars with commercial persimmon cultivars commonly grown around the world. Cultivars included in both pollination-constant non-astringent (PCNA) and pollination-variant non-astringent (PVNA) groups were selected. Significant differences were detected in fruit quality traits and phytochemical compounds of the cultivars. The ‘Fujiwaragosho’ cultivar of the PCNA group had a lower number of seeds and higher phytochemical compound content than the other cultivars of the same group. Turkish cultivars, all included in the PVNA group, had higher values for quality traits and phytochemical compounds. The ‘Ayder’ cultivar of the PVNA group was ranked first terms of vitamin C, while the ‘Akbulut’ cultivar ranked first in terms of total phenolics and antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that local cultivars had values for quality traits close to commercial cultivars of the world markets. The ‘Akbulut’, ‘Ayder’ and ‘Fujiwaragosho’ cultivars, placed on the first principle component axis and exhibiting 29.19% variation, had the highest values for phytochemical compounds. In ‘Akbulut’, ‘Ayder’ and ‘Fujiwaragosho’ cultivars, vitamin C levels were identified as 15.50, 19.00, and 18.90 mg per 100 g; total phenolics as 32.88, 14.95, and 27.62 g GAE kg−1 fresh weight (fw); and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP) as 1.01–25.55, 0.92–6.42, and 0.97–22.76 mmol TE kg−1 fw, respectively. It was concluded that in terms of quality traits and phytochemical compounds, new Turkish persimmon cultivars are able to compete with commonly grown commercial cultivars.