Abstract: [Objective] Early growth and anatomic structure of grafted plants of Diospyros kaki ‘Fuyu’ with different interstocks were studied in order to screen optimum grafting combinations with good early compatibility, and to understand the mechanisms of compatibility of the interstocks.[Method]Scions from variety ‘Fuyu’ were grafted onto D. kaki ‘Lanxidahongshi’, D. kaki ‘Nantongxiaofangshi’, D. kaki ‘Jirou’, and D. kaki ‘Nishimurawase’ as interstocks (each with 10 cm and 25 cm in length respectively), and D. glaucifolia as rootstock. Comparative analysis of early phenotypic traits and physio-biochemical indicators were analyzed to evaluate growth performance and physio-biochemical characteristics of the grafted plants. Paraffin section and optical microscope technology were used to observe anatomical properties of grafting union between rootstock and interstock, interstock and scion.[Result]Interstocks and their lengths were important factors influencing early growth and anatomic structure. When D. glaucifolia was directly grafted to ‘Fuyu’ persimmon (the control), the grafted plants had a poor phonotypical performance such as low survival rate and short in plant height, and poor physio-biochemical properties, and the graft union displayed an obvious swelling (swelling index R=0.980), and at the graft union occur isolation layer (the proportion of isolation layer G=88.9%) and vessel jam (the proportion of jam vessels D=16.3%). When ‘Nishimurawase’ or ‘Nantongxiaofangshi’ were used as interstock, for the two-year-old grafted plants, the height, chlorophyll (a+b) content, photosynthetic rate, leaf and root soluble sugar contents, and root viability were very significantly higher than those observed in the control (P < 0.05). Survival rate, stem diameter, and leaf area were larger than those of the control. And both persimmons as interstock significantly reduced the values of R, G, and D. With the same length of interstock, the ranks of comprehensive evaluation score (Q) on growth traits was in the following order (according to division of intestock): ‘Nantongxiaofangshi’ > ‘Nishimurawase’ > ‘Jirou’ > ‘Lanxidahongshi’. With the same interstock, survival rate, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and Q were better when the length of interstock was 10 cm. G, D, and Q had a significantly negative correlation (correlation coefficients were -0.910 and -0.977, respectively; P < 0.01), demonstrating that the status of the grafting union had a direct impact on early growth and physiological properties of the grafted plants.[Conclusion]There was incompatibility when D. kaki ‘Fuyu’ directly grafted to D. glaucifolia, when D. kaki ‘Nantongxiaofangshi’ or ‘Nishimurawase’ were used as the interstock, the grafting union can be better developed consequently improving the compatibility of ‘Fuyu’ grafted to D. glaucifolia. And optimum combination was D. glaucifolia/D. kaki ‘Nantongxiaofangshi’(the length of interstock is 10 cm)/D. kaki ‘Fuyu’(Q=2.71, G=11.1%, D=0).

Key words: Diospyros kaki ‘Fuyu’, graft, interstock, affinity, compatibility structure