VARIATION IN FRUITFULNESS AMONG KIWIFRUIT REPLACEMENT CANES

Shoots borne in the replacement zone of kiwifruit vines growing on a ‘T-bar’ trellis system were monitored from initiation in Year 1 to commercial fruit harvest in Year 2. Vegetative, flowering and fruit quality characteristics of these shoots were measured.

Cane size was a major factor influencing flower production and fruit quality.
Longer canes had greater winter bud number per cane and/or higher bud burst than shorter canes.
Flower number and fruit yield per cane were greater for longer canes.
However yield/m cane was not influenced by cane size.
Fruit size at harvest was also higher on the larger canes.
Within canes, fruit were heaviest near the base of the cane.
A significant proportion of the variation in fruit size among four cane types was related to the variation in seed dry weight per fruit.

II International Symposium on Kiwifruit

R.K. Volz, H.M. Gibbs, G.B. Lupton

flowers, fruit quality, budbreak, yield, fruit size

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1992.297.58