EFFECTS OF BARK INVERSION ON FRUIT WEIGHT, SIZE AND DRY MATTER CONCENTRATION OF GREEN KIWIFRUIT (ACTINIDIA DELICIOSA ‘HAYWARD’)

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of bark inversion on fruit weight, size and dry matter concentration of green kiwifruit (Actinida deliciosa ‘Hayward’). Kiwifruit growers received higher payment for their fruits if they could produce larger fruits with high dry matter concentration.
In order to regulate fruit quality in kiwifruit, application of plant growth regulators, both natural and synthetic were used by kiwifruit growers.
However, using plant growth regulators might be costly and sometimes may give negative effects to environment.
Currently, only girdling technique is used as a cultural practice for regulating fruit quality in kiwifruit.
As far as we know, there were no studies conducted on bark inversion in kiwifruit.
In this present study, selected kiwifruit vines were subjected to bark inversion during late summer 2010 fruiting season.
The vines without any bark inversion were treated as a control vines.
Fruit lengths, maximum and minimum fruit diameter, were measured one week after the application of bark inversion and after harvesting.
Fruit fresh weight, fruit dry weight, fruit size (fruit length × fruit diameter) and dry matter concentration were also evaluated at harvest.
Preliminary results showed that fruit fresh weight, dry weight and fruit size at harvest from the bark inversion vines were significantly increased compared with control.
Similarly, the dry matter concentration was also significantly higher in fruits from bark inversion than control vines.
Additionally, bark inversion also affects the fruit length and the diameter increment of fruit at harvest.

VII International Postharvest Symposium

F. Abdullah, D.J. Woolley

vines, fruit length, fruit diameter, fresh weight, dry weight

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1012.23