Accumulation of two distinct alleles causes astringency loss in cultivated polyploid persimmon

Two independently derived recessive ast alleles at the TANNIN (TAN) gene in hexaploid persimmon are linked to transcriptional deficiency and early cessation of proanthocyanidin accumulation.

• Why it matters: Persimmon fruit normally accumulates high proanthocyanidins that drive extreme astringency, but PCNA cultivars lose this trait early, with the causal gene at AST long unknown.
• What they did: Using haplotype-resolved forward genetics in a hexaploid genetic background, researchers identified TANNIN (TAN) as the causal gene, then used long-read sequencing to resolve independently derived ast alleles.
• The result: The PCNA trait is explained by accumulation of two distinct ast alleles that reduce TAN transcription, enabling clearer molecular breeding strategies for astringency loss.

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