EFFECT OF THINNING ON FRUIT YIELD, SIZE AND QUALITY OF KIWIFRUIT CV. ALLISON

Among the different hand and chemical thinning treatments the highest thinning was obtained with the severest intensity (retaining 2 flower buds or flowers or fruitlets/fruiting lateral) of hand thinning treatments.
NAA (50 and 100 ppm) did not exhibit any significant effect on fruit thinning, whereas, NAA at 200 ppm was found to be highly phytotoxic and resulted in partial defoliation and 7.75 per cent fruit drop.
The total number of fruits and total yield per vine decreased significantly with increase in the intensity of hand thinning.
Except severest hand thinning treatments, all the other hand thinning treatments significantly increased production of ‘A’ grade fruits in the total yield per vine.
The fruit size and weight were increased by the hand thinning treatments and NAA at 50 and 100 ppm.
Flower bud thinning was more effective in enhancing the fruit size and weight as compared to flower and fruitlet thinning.
Fruit quality in terms of TSS, acidity, total sugars, reducing sugar and ascorbic acid was found better in flower bud thinning treatments.
Thinning to retain 6 flower buds per fruiting lateral resulted in optimum thinning and maximum production of ‘A’ grade fruits of better quality with highest increase in net benefits over control.

VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics

A. Thakur, J.S. Chandel

fruit thinning, yield, fruit size, quality, NAA, Actinidia deliciosa

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.662.53