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EFFECT OF CROPPING LEVEL AND PRUNING LENGTH ON YIELD AND FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF KIWI FRUIT (HAYWARD) |
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Hulusi SAMANCI, İsmet USLU |
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SUMMARY This experiment was carried out in Yalova (30 km south of İstanbul) ecology between the years 1993-1995. Effects of loading level, cane length and level of cropping on yield, fruit size, harvest maturity and annual development were investigated on Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa) vines. In the beginning of the experiments vines were 7 years old, planted 4 x 4 m., T- trained and spring irrigated. In the first part of experiment 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 buds were left on the vines during the winter pruning by 6 and 12 bud canes separately. In the second part, vines were loaded 250 buds by 12 bud canes and vines were thinned to leave 1, 2, 3, 4 fruits/shoot. Unthinned vines used as control. To describe the effects of the treatments on the vines fruit length and width measured weekly, beginning on fruit set; at harvest yield (no of fruits/vine, kg/vine) fruit size, TSS in juice (%), firmness of flesh (kg/cm2) described. At winter pruning, pruning weighed to compare the annual development. At loading level experiments, yield increased up to 250 buds/vine (20-40 ton /ha). Decrease in fruit size yield increases was negligible. Similar results were obtained on TSS (%) analysis at harvest. Flesh firmness was also not affected by yield increase. An effect of loading level and length of canes (6 or 12 buds) on annual vegetative growth was not significant. Generally pruning was 7-12 kg/vine. At thinning experiments yield was changed 3-5 fold between the severe thinning (1 fruit/shoot) and control. Yields of 1 fruit/shoot vines were 8.7, 24.8 and 12.4 kg in the years 1993, 94 and 95 respectively. In the same years yield of control vines were 37.8, 70.9 and 38.5 kg. Increase in yield, will lead decrease in TSS. At that point crop will be under the risk of autumn early frosts. In both experiment vine yields were changed twice from year to year. To reach 20-30 t/ha yield and average fruit weight above 100 g, 20 x 12 bud canes are sufficient in normal and high yielding years. As the result of thinning trials, thinning is not necessary at average (20-30 t/ha) yield levels. But at higher yield levels thinning is necessary to prevent delay on fruit maturity. More yield affects maturity more than fruit size. |
| Keywords: Kiwi, Cropping Level, Quality, Yield, Growth |