Discovery of New Rules for Fruit Development
A research team at Kyoto University and others conducted a three-dimensional analysis of persimmons that grow into various shapes and discovered that, common to all varieties, there is a growth gradient where "growth is most active on the calyx (fruit stalk) side and becomes more gradual toward the tip."
This study revealed that the reason fruit shapes differ by variety is due to differences in the "strength of this growth gradient." In the future, this is expected to be applied to technologies for controlling fruit shape and to efficient cultivation management.
"Reference Materials"