NEW KIWIFRUIT CULTIVAR 'SANUKI GOLD'

‘Sanuki Gold’ is a new kiwifruit cultivar registered in 2005. It was selected from seedlings produced by a cross between Apple kiwi (‘Kuimi’) and FCM-1 (male selection) at the Kagawa Agricultural Experiment Station. Both parents are A. chinensis. The ‘Sanuki Gold’ vine is more vigorous than ‘Hayward’. Flowering occurs in early and middle May, 10 days earlier than ‘Hayward’. Fruit mature during late October, 3 to 4 weeks earlier than ‘Hayward’. Fruit are short trapezia and have sparse velutinous hair on the brown skin. Fruit weight is 160–180 g on average with a maximum of 300 g in commercial orchards in Kagawa. The fruit contain 16–18% total soluble solids and 0.4% titratable acids. Fruit have deep yellow flesh and a good flavour. Fruit can be stored for 3 months at 5°C, 2 to 3 months less than ‘Hayward’. Ripening of fruit is easily enhanced by ethylene treatment in one week.