Cultivation on kiwifruit

Full Cultivation of kiwi Fruit

1. Cultivation on Kiwifruit P resented by Davinder Handa M.Sc. Agri ( Horti -Fruit Science)

2. Taxonomical details Botanical Name : Actinidia deliciosa Family : Actinidiaceae Genus : Actinidia Species : deliciosa Chromosome No. : 58 Origin : China Other names : Chinese gooseberry, China miracle

3. Introduction The kiwifruit ( Actinidia deliciosa ) is a deciduous fruiting vine native of south and central China. This is known as “China’s miracle fruit” and “ Horticulture wonder of New Zealand”. In India, it was first introduced at Lal Bagh garden, Banglore , but the plant did not come in to bearing due to lack of chilling requirement during winter for its bud break. Later on, in 1963 , it was introduced in Shimla hills , where the plant came in to bearing in 1969 . Kiwifruit is rusty brown with hairy surface and looks like a spota fruit. It is rich in Vitamin-C.

4. Distribution In World :- It is commonly grown in n New Zealand, China, USA, Italy, France, Australia, Israel and India. In India :- It grows in in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Uttarkhand , Sikkim , Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Nilgiri hills of south India.

5. Area and Production Area under kiwifruits in India is 4 thousand ha and production is 12 thousand MT. Source- NHB (2017-18 )

6. Climate Kiwi is a deciduous vine which can withstand wide climatic conditions. However, for high yield quality fruits, it requires 700-800 chilling hours below 7 ⁰C to break its rest period in the winter otherwise the bud break may be delayed. A rainfall of about 150 cm/year is sufficient.

7. Soil It can be grown on a wide range of soils but deep, rich, well drained sandy loam soils are ideal. A soil pH slightly less than 6.9 results in maximum yield but higher pH up to 7.3 affects adversely because of Mn deficiency.

8. Varieties Abbot t This is an early flowering and early maturing cultivar. The oblong, medium sized, fruits are covered with dense hairs. They are very sweet in taste with lower ascorbic acid content and medium titratable acidity. Allison Fruits resemble those of Abbott, except that these are slightly broader in proportion to its length. The petals of its flowers are overlapping. It is an early ripening, heavy bearer and sweet in taste. Ascorbic acid and titratable acidity are on the lower side. This variety is most suited for Himachal Pradesh

9. 3. Bruno This cultivar requires comparatively less chilling period . The fruits are tapering in shape towards the stem end. They are longest among all the cultivars. The fruits is dark brown having very dense, short and bristly hair, highest in ascorbic acid and titratable acidity. The bearing is very heavy. 4. Tomuri It is a good pollenizer for Hayward and Monty, the late flowering kiwi. Flowers appear usually in groups of 5.

10. 5. Monty It is a late flowering cultivar but fruit maturity is not late. The fruits are oblong, resembling those of Abbot and Allison. Being a highly prolific bearer cultivar , sometimes it needs hand thinning for obtaining good sized fruits.

11. 6. Hayward Most popular cultivar or the world. The fruit is broad and flat, being much wider in relation to length. It is superior in flavour with high sugar and ascorbic acid content. It requires comparatively more chilling hours .

12. Rootstocks Bruno – Most widely used rootstock in NZ even In India also, as it is having high vigour and germination %.

13. Propagation Hard wood cutting Hard wood cuttings are prepared during the dormant season (January-February) from the previous year summer growth. The cuttings are treated with IBA (500 ppm ) for 10 seconds and set deeply in moist rooting medium.

14. Production of nursery plants of kiwifruit

15. Propagation of kiwifruit through cuttings

16. Kiwi plants are also propagated by grafting . Though it takes almost two years to develop a nursery plant through grafting or budding onto the seedlings but this method is easiest and most economical . The kiwi plants can be raised through tongue grafting of kiwi seedlings during January- February. Grafting

17. Planting Land having very gentle slope is ideal for it. If possible its rows should be oriented in a north south direction to avail maximum sunlight . Preparation of pits, mixing of farmyard manure and filling of pits should be completed by December. In T-bar , a spacing or 4m from row to row and 5-6 m from plant to plant is common. January is ideal time for planting. The soil should be firmly placed around the roots. Chinese gooseberry is a dioecious plant; therefore , interplanting of male plants is essential for fruit production. In India, only 2 male clones - Tomuri and Allison are generally interplanted . Planting male and female plants in a 1:9 ratio is common.

18. Training The main aim of training is to establish and maintain a well formed framework of main branches and fruiting arms. The supporting branches should be erected even before planting the vines or thereafter as early as possible. This training is known as T-bar or overload trellis/ telephone system.

19. Pruning The vine should grow 2-4 m every year which may become over crowded and unmanageable if not controlled by both summer and winter pruning. The fruits develop only on current season’s growth. Thus pruning in kiwi should be carried out in such a way that the fruiting areas are available every year requiring the wood to be young.

20. Pollination For a good yield of fruit, one male vine for every three to eight female vines is required. Kiwifruit is notoriously difficult to pollinate, because the flowers are not very attractive to bees.

21. Manuring and fertilization Thus N, P and K should be applied on yearly basis , while the other elements on requirement basis. Generally, a basal dose of 20 kg farmyard manure, 0.5 kg NPK mixture containing 15% N is applied each year. After five years of age, 850-900g N , 500-600g P , 800-900 g K and farmyard manure should be applied every year. The N fertilizer should be applied in two equal doses , half to two thirds in January-February and the rest after fruit set in April- May .

22. Irrigation Kiwi plants require much water due to their vigorous vegetative growth, leaf size, vine habit and high humidity in their natural habitat. Therefore, it cannot be successfully grown in rain fed areas . Irrigation is also needed during September and October when the fruit is in initial stage for growing and development. Irrigation at 10-15 days interval is quite satisfactory for good economic returns.

23. Harvesting and postharvest management It takes 4-5 years for a kiwi vine to start bearing worthwhile fruits and 7-8 years for commercial production. The harvesting period varies from area to area. Under Solan conditions, the fruits can be harvested from October end to third week of November depending upon cultivars, whereas under Shimla condition, the fruits are harvested from last week of November to December . Kiwi fruits having 6.2% TSS are ideal for harvesting. But delay in harvesting deteriorates their storability.

24. At least two pickings are made. Larger sized berries should be harvested first while smaller ones should be allowed to increase in size and improve in quality. After harvesting , the fruits are rubbed with a coarse cloth to remove stiff hairs found on their surface. Hard fruits are transported to the market. Subsequently, they lose their firmness in two weeks at room temperature and become edible. On an average, kiwi yield varies from 50 to 100 kg fruits/ vine. Vines on trellis produce about 25 tons/ ha after seven years.

25. Storage The fruits can be kept in a good condition in a cool place without refrigeration up to eight weeks . It can be kept for 4-6 months in a cool storage at -0.6 ⁰C to 0 ⁰C . In India, there are no grading standards for kiwi. In international market, fruit weight of 72 kg is the minimum for export while 100 g is the preferred weight. In India the fruits weighting 70 g and above are graded as ‘ A ’ grade fruits and between 40 and 70 g are graded ‘ B ’grade fruits. Since there is no standard package for kiwi fruits, card board boxes of 3-4 kg capacity are generally used for packing.

26. Insect and Pest 1 . Passion vine Hopper Damage They suck sap from succulent shoots and the result is distortion of fruit and leaves. Plants will get stunted, wilted and dieback overall.

27. Management Spray methyl parathion 50 EC 2 ml/litre or Quinalphos 1.5 % per vine.

28. 2. Armored Scales

29. Damage Scale insects feed on plant fluids and can be located on the bark or fruit of kiwi. Heavy infestations affect the vigor of the plant and result in the presence of scales on fruit , causing it to be off graded. Management Natural enemies of scale: Predators: Minute pirate bugs, and Ladybird beetle.

30. Diseases 1. Bacterial leaf spot Symptoms It include angular shaped spots , often associated with a halo, brown discolouration of buds. In advanced stages of infection, the leakage of red-rusty gum. Not all symptoms appear at the same time.

31. Bacterial leaf spot

32. Management Spray 1 % Bordeaux mixture or Copper oxychloride 2.5 g/lit.

33. Sclerotinia rot Disease symptoms: Infected fruit and stem first appear water soaked. Fluffy white cottony fungal growth is seen on infected area. Small hard black fungal structures known as sclerotia . Fruits are often infected through the blossom end and became rotted and watery sclerotia may be inside these rotted fruits. Management Spray 1 % Bordeaux mixture per vine

34. Sclerotinia rot

35. Disorders 1. Freezing Freezing damage can occur on early picked kiwifruit when stored at temperatures below 0°C (32°F) or when subjected to an early frost in the vineyard. 2. Hard-Core This disorder is induced by exposure of kiwifruit to ethylene plus carbon dioxide levels above 8 percent. The fruit core fails to ripen when the remainder of the fruit is soft and ripe

36. References www.hortiagri.com www.agritech.tnau.ac.in www.niphm.gov.in

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