Kiwifruit | Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production (HOR-MA201) - Unit 3 Notes - Chapter 13

Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

HORMA 201 - M.Sc. (Ag.) Horticulture

UNIT III: Litchi, Loquat, Persimmon, Kiwifruit, Strawberry

Table of Contents Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, Ecophysiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, rootstock influence, planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, bioregulation, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, fruit set and development, abiotic factors limiting production, physiological disorders-causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, precooling, storage, transportation and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri Export Zones(AEZ) and industrial support.

Chapter 13 -

🟢 KIWIFRUIT (Actinidia deliciosa Chev.)

Common Names: Chinese Gooseberry, Kiwifruit
Family: Actinidiaceae
Origin: China (Yangtze Valley) Chromosome number: 2n = 174 (hexaploid) Fruit type: Berry Edible part: Pericarp and mesocarp

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🔹 1. Commercial Varieties of Regional, National & International Importance

Type	Varieties	Remarks
Commercial cultivars	Hayward	Most popular; large, good quality, late maturing
	Allison	Early maturing, moderate yield
	Bruno	Cylindrical, early bearing, high TSS
	Monty	Vigorous, large fruit, late variety
Indian selections	Allison, Hayward, Monty, Abbott, Bruno	Grown in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh

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🔹 2. Ecophysiological Requirements

• Climate: Temperate to sub-temperate

• Chilling requirement: 600–800 hours

• Temperature:

• Dormancy: Can tolerate -8°C

• Active growth: 12–30°C

• Altitude: 800–1800 m asl (ideal)

• Rainfall: 100–150 cm (well-distributed)

• Soil: Deep, well-drained sandy loam with pH 5.5–6.5

• Wind protection is essential as vines are delicate

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🔹 3. Recent Trends in Propagation

• Propagation:

• Rooted cuttings (semi-hardwood) – commercial method

• Grafting (T-budding or cleft) – to maintain cultivar identity

• Micropropagation – used for virus-free planting material

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🔹 4. Rootstock Influence

• Bruno seedlings: Most commonly used due to high compatibility

• Influence on vigor, fruit quality, and chilling adaptability

• Micropropagated rootstocks being explored for uniformity

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🔹 5. Planting Systems

• Spacing: 4 × 6 m or 5 × 5 m

• Training system:

• T-bar and Pergola (overhead arbor) are most common

• Time of planting: Late winter to early spring

• Pollinizers: Dioecious plant — requires male: female ratio of 1:8

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🔹 6. Cropping Systems

• Mono-cropping with alternate row of male vines

• Intercropping with vegetables and legumes in early years

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🔹 7. Root Zone & Canopy Management

• Shallow root system – avoid deep cultivation

• Training and pruning critical to promote light penetration and airflow

• Remove excessive vegetative growth for balanced canopy

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🔹 8. Nutrient Management

Age	FYM (kg/plant)	N (g)	P (g)	K (g)
Young (1–3 yr)	10–20	100–200	60	120
Mature (5+ yr)	40	400–500	200	300

• Micronutrients (Zn, B, Fe) essential for proper flowering and fruit set

• Split application of N — before bud burst and after fruit set
  
  

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🔹 9. Water Management

• Critical during fruit development (March–May)

• Sensitive to both waterlogging and drought

• Mulching improves water conservation
  
  

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🔹 10. Fertigation

• Encouraged in commercial orchards

• Improves nutrient uptake and productivity

• NPK water-soluble fertilizers via drip system

• Foliar spray of micronutrients

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🔹 11. Bioregulation

Regulator	Function
GA₃ (50–100 ppm)	Promotes fruit elongation
Ethrel (250 ppm)	Enhances flowering
NAA (20 ppm)	Reduces fruit drop
BA (10–20 ppm)	Improves fruit set and size

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🔹 12. Abiotic Factors Limiting Production

Factor	Effect
Late frost	Kills young shoots
High wind	Breaks vines, reduces pollination
Poor chilling	Delayed or irregular flowering
Water stress	Fruit drop and shriveling

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🔹 13. Physiology of Flowering, Fruit Set & Development

• Flowering: April–May in India
  

• Pollination: Entomophilous (insects); hand pollination increases fruit set
  

• Fruit set: Better in presence of sufficient chilling and male vines
  

• Fruit development: 5–6 months; follows double sigmoid curve
  

• Parthenocarpy: Natural parthenocarpy possible but not commercially exploited
  

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🔹 14. Physiological Disorders – Causes & Remedies

Disorder	Cause	Management
Fruit drop	Nutrient/water stress	NAA, regular irrigation
Fruit softening	Overripe or high temp	Timely harvest
Sunscald	Excess sunlight	Canopy cover, proper pruning
Poor fruit shape	Inadequate pollination	Ensure enough male vines or hand pollination

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🔹 15. Quality Improvement by Management Practices

• Thinning of fruits improves size and uniformity

• Balanced NPK and boron application

• Avoid excess nitrogen (causes softness)

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🔹 16. Maturity Indices

• Days from flowering: 150–170 days

• Flesh TSS: 6.5–7.0 °Brix (harvest), ripens to 12–16 °Brix

• Firmness test and black seed development

• Fruit remains green when harvested – ripens postharvest

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🔹 17. Harvesting, Grading, Packing

• Harvesting: By hand with secateurs, leaving a short stalk

• Grading: Based on size, shape, color, and weight

• Packing: Corrugated fiberboard boxes with padding

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🔹 18. Precooling, Storage & Transportation

• Precooling: 0–1°C within 6 hrs of harvest

• Storage:

• 0°C at 90–95% RH: 4–6 months

• Controlled Atmosphere (CA): extends life up to 9 months

• Transport: In refrigerated vans; non-climacteric

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🔹 19. Ripening Techniques

• Ethylene treatment (100 ppm) at 20°C for 24–48 hrs

• Temperature conditioning: Room temp storage for gradual ripening

• Softening and TSS increase during ripening

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🔹 20. Industrial & Export Potential

• Used for juice, wine, jam, squash, canned slices

• Rich in Vitamin C, dietary fiber, antioxidants

• Exporters: New Zealand, Italy, Chile, Iran

• India has export potential to Middle East and Southeast Asia

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🔹 21. Agri Export Zones (AEZ) & Industrial Support

• No specific AEZ for kiwifruit yet in India

• Supported under NHM and MIDH schemes

• Potential in Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, J&K

• Processing and cold chain infra needed for boosting exports

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