USING BIOREGULATORS TO INFLUENCE MORPHOGENESIS IN KIWIFRUIT CV. "HAYWARD" (ACTINIDIA DELICIOSA)

Several “growth activators” were tested over three years on cv. “Hayward” kiwifruit vines (Actinidia deliciosa Liang and Ferguson) to assay their influence on fruit morphogenesis, quality and storability. The chemicals “Glucos P”, “Benefit PZ” and “Phytagro” were compared against the performance of untreated vines and of those sprayed with the cytokinin-like chemical, N-(2-chloro-4-pyridil)-N’-phenylurea taken as a further reference point. The results indicate that all the chemicals positively affected fruit diameter and length one-two weeks after application; at harvest treated fruits showed a higher commercially marketable size. Fruit soluble solids content (SSC) and flesh firmness (FF) were not significantly affected at harvest or after storage, although some of the tested chemicals showed a tendency towards higher values (Glucos P and forchlorfenuron). Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique, used to determine fruit quality traits, proved to be a potent and reliable tool in monitoring SSC and FF evolution during storage in the tested conditions.