A COMPLEX OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS NECESSARY FOR KAKI PERSIMMON (DIOSPYROS KAKI L.) AND FEIJOA (FEIJOA SELLOWIANA (O. BERG))

The paper presents long-term observations on the testing of some subtropical crops (feijoa (Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret (= Feijoa sellowiana (O. Berg) O. Berg)) and persimmon (Diospyros L.)) in eight geographical areas north of Greater Sochi – from Tuapse to Novorossiysk and Maykop district. The experiment has shown that on nine geo-sites, feijoa plants did not take root according to temperature data; they died, and only one single plant was preserved in the village Betta of Gelendzhik district, where the temperature dropped to 16–17 degrees below zero. The plant is surrounded by houses, which provides a small microclimate and it was covered with a two-layer film for the winter. The most winter-hardy crop from all the tested was persimmon. To date, it is growing in Novorossiysk, where, in addition to sub-zero temperatures, strong winds prevail, as well as in the village Shirokaya balka of Novorossiysk district. Plants yield an annual harvest, but different cultivars react differently to a decrease in air temperature, the most resistant to low negative temperatures was the cultivar ‘Kostata’, less resistant – ‘Hyakume’. Frost damage of annual shoots was noted on young plants of ‘Hyakume’ cultivar. Phenological indicators (gemmation, appearance of first leaves, budding, flowering, fruit ripening) moving from the humid subtropical zone to the north are 5–7 days late. In the village Tsvetochny of Maikop district (the Republic of Adygea), two species of Ebenaceae family – common persimmon (germinated from seeds) and kaki persimmon cultivars (‘Djiro’ and ‘MVG Omarova’) were tested. The growing season of ‘Djiro’ cultivar began 10–12 days later than that of a similar cultivar on the Black Sea coast, while the growing season of common persimmon is even more late (up to 15–18 days). This is a biological feature of the species. Despite different soil and climatic conditions along the Black Sea, persimmon cultivars yield a good harvest (from 31.5 to 46.9 kg/tree). The cultivar ‘MVG Omarova’ has adapted well in Makhachkala (the Republic of Dagestan), where it yields regular harvests.