Validation of a male-linked gene locus (OGI) for sex identification in persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) and its application in F1 progeny

It is crucial to develop a rapid technique for identifying sexuality in the seedling stage of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.), and the elimination of male progeny has been regarded as an important strategy for enhancing breeding efficiency. In this study, phenotype characterization and genotyping of the male‐linked OGI marker were carried out using 205 accessions, including persimmon cultivars, F1 progeny and nine related Diospyros species. All persimmon cultivars displayed consistent results regarding OGI amplification and sex phenotype. A total of 143 F1 progeny were derived from 11 crosses, among which 95 individuals had flowered. In the flowering full‐sib families, the amplification of the OGI marker in agreement with the sex phenotype was obtained in 85 plants (89.5%). The segregation of OGI in ‘Huashi 1’ × ‘Luotian Tianshi’ and ‘Huashi 1’ × Male 3 F1 populations fit a 1 : 1 ratio. Furthermore, high OGI transferability was observed in nine related species. Overall, the results indicated that the OGI locus could be used to distinguish male from female persimmon plants at an early stage.