New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Manipulation of carbohydrate concentrations in kiwifruit
NICKY G. SEAGER*
ERROL W. HEWETT
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
IAN J. WARRINGTON
The Horticulture and Food Research
Institute of New Zealand
Private Bag 11 030
Palmerston North, New Zealand
*Present address: The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of
New Zealand, Private Bag 11 030, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Abstract Girdling was used to manipulate carbohydrate
concentrations in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev) C.F. Liang et
A.R. Ferguson var. deliciosa) laterals to determine the impact of
carbohydrates on the rate of fruit maturation. Individual laterals were girdled
and pruned to achieve either a 1:1 or 5:1 leaf:fruit ratio. Fresh weight, dry
matter concentration, soluble solids, total sugar, and starch concentrations,
were higher in fruit from the 5:1 than 1:1 leaf:fruit ratio treatment. There
was, however, no impact of leaf:fruit ratio on the rate of decrease in flesh
firmness. Fruit maturation, assessed by the time to reach 6.2% soluble solids
concentration, was markedly delayed in the 1:1 treatment compared to fruit from
the 5:1 leaf:fruit ratio treatment. Carbohydrate concentration in the 1:1
leaf:fruit ratio treatment appeared to be insufficient to allow normal fruit
maturation to occur.
Keywords Actinidia deliciosa; kiwifruit; flesh
firmness; leaf:fruit ratio; soluble solids concentration; starch; sugar
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1995, Vol. 23:
213-218
0114-0671/95/2302--0213 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1995
Short communication
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