STUDIES ON KIWIFRUIT IMPROVEMENT BY MULTIPLE TOP GRAFTING

A large area of orchard will be required for variant selection in kiwifruit breeding because of the large canopies and the very low natural mutation frequency.
Utilization of kiwifruit hybrids produced by crossing also requires many years because seedlings have a long juvenile period.
The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the feasibility of applying multiple top grafting techniques to kiwifruit improvement.
In this test trial, genetic diversity among kiwifruit plants was studied through SSR analysis.
It was observed that SSR polymorphism was present among kiwifruit canes from different plants and treatment with ⁶⁰Co γ-ray increased SSR diversity.
Buds from different canes were top grafted onto heavily pruned mature vines with 50-100 grafted buds per vine and the grafted plants were treated with intensive cultivation.
The experimental results showed that canes produced by grafted buds flowered and bore fruits one to three years earlier.
Selection from a large population (canes from different plants) in a limited area of kiwifruit orchard becomes possible by means of multiple top grafting.
Some of favorable variant canes were selected and rapidly propagated, and thus, the kiwifruit improvement process could be accelerated.

VII International Symposium on Kiwifruit

H. Liang, Y. Hu, W. Pang, W. Liu, M. Yang

breeding, mutation, SSR, topgrafting

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.913.48