Seasonal cycle of shoot development in selected Actinidia species

Abstract

Seasonal cycles of shoot development for 10 Actinidia species are described. A female and a male vine were studied for six species. Shoots were sampled at monthly intervals during the growing season and timing of budbreak, shoot lengths, numbers of nodes, areas of leaves, numbers and node positions of flowers or fruit, and fruit size were measured. Budbreak, shoot growth, and leaf growth patterns were not clearly related to taxonomic affinities although vines of A. deliciosa behaved very similarly to vines of the closely related species, A. chinensis and A. eriantha. Male and female vines differed in flowering behaviour with male vines having higher percentages of flowering shoots, more flowering nodes on a shoot, and often, more flowers in an inflorescence. The growth habits of the A. chinensis and A. eriantha vines appear to be suited to pruning and training in the same manner as A. deliciosa ’Hayward’. The selected A arguta vines have very unfavourable growth characteristics for commercial production, including the long vigorous shoots and sparse flowering habit.