Articles
UTILIZATION OF NATURAL PIGMENTS FOR ARTIFICIAL POLLINATION OF ORGANIC KIWIFRUIT PRODUCTION
Article number
1001_20
Pages
185 – 189
Language
English
Abstract
Artificial pollination is essential for stable cropping performance in commercial kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa and A. chinensis) cultivation in Korea, and is of particular value in organic production.
The synthetic pigment Red dye #2, which is used in liquid pollination to identify flowers that have been pollinated, is unacceptable for organic use, and is reportedly harmful to human health.
Several native plants that grow in the kiwifruit production region of Haenam County, Korea, were selected and tested as potential pigment sources for artificial pollination in organic orchards.
Pigment-pollen mixtures were sprayed on female flowers using a hand pollinator.
Pigments from the fruits of Rubus coreanus and Phytolacca americana had no negative effect on kiwifruit pollen (A. deliciosa Matua) viability.
Kiwifruit pollen germination rates in the liquid mixture with the two natural pigments were 82% for R. coreanus and 91% for P. Americana. This was not significantly different from the control (82% for Red dye #2).
Pollination using these native pigments led to 100% fruit set in open field trials on 8 year-old organic kiwifruit vines (2-year results with A. deliciosa, 1-year results with A. chinensis). At harvest, fruit size and seed counts per fruit were similar, regardless of the pigment sources.
A simple procedure for preparing pigment was developed for growers use.
The powder of freeze-dried fruits of R. coreanus or P. Americana were soaked in hot water (80-85°C) for 2 h.
The resulting product can be stored in a freezer and used the following season.
Use of these native pigments could be also expanded to pollination of other organic fruit crops such as Korean pear and sweet persimmon.
The synthetic pigment Red dye #2, which is used in liquid pollination to identify flowers that have been pollinated, is unacceptable for organic use, and is reportedly harmful to human health.
Several native plants that grow in the kiwifruit production region of Haenam County, Korea, were selected and tested as potential pigment sources for artificial pollination in organic orchards.
Pigment-pollen mixtures were sprayed on female flowers using a hand pollinator.
Pigments from the fruits of Rubus coreanus and Phytolacca americana had no negative effect on kiwifruit pollen (A. deliciosa Matua) viability.
Kiwifruit pollen germination rates in the liquid mixture with the two natural pigments were 82% for R. coreanus and 91% for P. Americana. This was not significantly different from the control (82% for Red dye #2).
Pollination using these native pigments led to 100% fruit set in open field trials on 8 year-old organic kiwifruit vines (2-year results with A. deliciosa, 1-year results with A. chinensis). At harvest, fruit size and seed counts per fruit were similar, regardless of the pigment sources.
A simple procedure for preparing pigment was developed for growers use.
The powder of freeze-dried fruits of R. coreanus or P. Americana were soaked in hot water (80-85°C) for 2 h.
The resulting product can be stored in a freezer and used the following season.
Use of these native pigments could be also expanded to pollination of other organic fruit crops such as Korean pear and sweet persimmon.
Publication
Authors
Somi Yi, Younsup Cho, Kyungcheol Ma, Hyesung Cho, Donggeun Lim
Keywords
Rubus coreanus, Phytolacca Americana, Red dye #2, pollen viability
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