EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS ON ROOTING OF ACTINIDIA DELICIOSA 'HAYWARD' HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD CUTTINGS

Kiwifruit cuttings are more difficult to root than cuttings of many other species. In this study the effects of different propagation units and media on the rooting of hardwood and softwood (green) cuttings of A. deliciosa ‘Hayward’, the most common kiwifruit cultivar, were examined. Different propagation units (hotbed, multichamber pot) and rooting media (perlite, peat, cocopeat, cocopeat + perlite, and peat + perlite) were tested.
Studies over two years showed that hot beds were better than multichamber pots for propagation, especially for hardwood cuttings, and that a cocopeat + perlite mixture was the best medium for rooting of both hardwood and softwood cuttings. The highest rooting rate (37.9%) was obtained in the hotbed with hardwood cuttings collected 15 February. Cocopeat was the best rooting medium (44.3%). For softwood cuttings the best results were obtained with multichamber pots (plastic vials) with perlite as the propagation medium.