APPLICATION OF FOLIAR NUTRIENTS TO IMPROVE DRY MATTER OF 'HAYWARD' KIWIFRUIT

An intensive foliar fertiliser programme was applied to mature kiwifruit vines on a well-managed commercial Te Puke orchard to optimise nutrient levels, leaf condition and, by association, photosynthetic performance. The combination of solid and foliar fertilisers applied aimed to ensure that nutrition did not limit dry matter accumulation. However, fruit samples taken at harvest indicated that dry matter levels were significantly lower on vines receiving foliar fertilisers. The reasons for this are unclear – the fruit on treated vines were slightly larger which may have diluted the available dry matter. There may have been differences in crop load between treated and control vines – a sample indicated this possibility, but fruit size was very similar across all replicates, suggesting similar crop loads. Some other effect of the foliar fertiliser programme may have been involved.