Shoot size and fruit position along the shoot influences fruit weight of 'Hayward' kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

Kiwifruit growers must strive to grow the best commercial size fruit to remain profitable. The effects on final fruit size of size of fruiting shoots, and fruit location on a shoot, were studied. The study was carried out in well pollinated kiwifruit blocks between March and April of 1991, at one orchard of the Metropolitan Region and three orchards of the 7(th) Region of Chile. At least 200 shoots with three fruit/shoot and 200 with four fruit were selected in the orchards. Every plant sampled contained each type of shoot. Each fruiting shoot was classified into categories Big, Medium or Small, based on its length and basal diameter. Fruit was harvested at 6.2 - 6.5degrees Brix and weighed. Flower buds were thinned pre-bloom to remove fasciated, double and triple flower buds. The results were statistically analysed and showed that Big and Medium size shoots produced bigger fruit than Small shoots and that fruit size decreased gradually as fruit position moved away from the base of the shoot. The average fruit size of 3 fruit shoots was higher than 4 fruit shoots and the decrease of size along the shoots was more pronounced in four than in three fruit shoots.