New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Climate and kiwifruit cv. `Hayward'
2. Regions in New Zealand suited for production
M. J. SALINGER
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research (NIWA)
P.O. Box 28 841
Auckland, New Zealand
G. J. KENNY
Centre for Environmental and Resource
Studies (CEARS)
University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract Matching crops to climate is an important activity
for planning production. Three important climatic factors were identified as
being important determinants of kiwifruit
(Actinidia deliciosa `Hayward'
(A. Chev) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson) distribution: winter chilling; growing
season thermal time; and annual rainfall. Indices for each of these factors
were developed to enable mapping of the most suitable areas for kiwifruit
production. These were May-July temperatures of 11deg.C or less as the optimal
winter chilling requirement, a thermal time accumulation of 1100 degree-
days
above 10deg.C from October to April, and an annual rainfall of 1250 mm or more.
Apart from Northland, all the traditional areas of kiwifruit production have a
suitable climate. However, there are substantial areas of inland Bay of Plenty
to Rotorua, the Waikato, north Taranaki, and northern Hawke's Bay where the
climatic requirements are also satisfied. A high frequency of extreme winds may
be an additional limiting factor in some of these regions, such as Taranaki.
The total area of suitability is enlarged if irrigation is available,
particularly in the southern North Island and central Marlborough. Within this
climatic range the estimated dates for the average end of dormancy and 50%
flowering are spread over 4 weeks, and estimated budburst dates over 11 days.
Although use of average climate data to describe kiwifruit distribution
provides a valuable first-
order
assessment, it would be desirable to incorporate analyses of climate
variability in future studies of this kind.
Keywords kiwifruit; climate; phenology; Actinidia
deliciosa; climate requirements; agroclimatic mapping; spatial
distribution
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1995, Vol. 23:
173-184
0114-0671/95/2302--0173 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1995
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