DEVELOPMENT OF ZESPRI^TM GOLD KIWIFRUIT - SUCCESS AT A COST

Plant breeding is essential in providing new, differentiated products in the global horticultural industry. It is a long term process in itself but to make a new cultivar successful takes considerable and different resources. The global kiwifruit industry has been developed based on a single cultivar with a green flesh (Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward) developed in the 1920s but it has taken 80 years to develop, release and successfully market a second cultivar into the global market. Although classed as a kiwifruit, it is based on Actinidia chinensis with yellow flesh and distinctive tropical flavour which is sufficiently different that it was necessary to develop different cultural techniques, new maturity criteria and modified post-harvest technologies. The research, development and marketing work necessary to take this fruit to the markets is described together with exploring the factors that have to be taken into account in ensuring the successful uptake by retailers and ultimately consumers.