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Flowering of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is reduced by long photoperiods
Abstract
Mature kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’) vines grown under standard orchard management were exposed to 16-h photoperiods from the longest day in summer until after leaf fall in autumn. Photoperiod extension was achieved with tungsten halogen lamps that produced 2–8 µmols m–2 s–1 photosynthetically active radiation. Long day treatments did not affect fruit dry matter or fruit weight at harvest during the growing season that the treatments were applied or during the following growing season. However, flowering was reduced by 22% during the spring following treatment application. As this reduction in flowering was not accompanied by a decrease in budbreak, the long day effect is not consistent with a delay in the onset of winter chilling. It is suggested therefore, that the observed reduction in flowering may be because of a diminution of floral evocation.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Snelgar, W. P., Clearwater, M. J. & Walton, E. F. (2007). Flowering of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is reduced by long photoperiods. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 35(1), 33-38.
Date
2007
Publisher
RSNZ Publishing
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
This article has been published in the journal: New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science. © 2007The Royal Society of New Zealand. Use with permission.