Influence of Within-canopy Shading on Fruit Size, Shoot Growth, and Return Bloom in Kiwifruit

Abstract

Fruit on shoots trained to grow above the main foliar canopy (exposed) of 6-year-old ‘pergola’-trained kiwifruit vines were significantly larger than fruit on shoots trained to grow below the canopy (shaded). Fruit size increased with seed number in both fruit groups, but fruit from exposed shoots were consistently larger than shade-grown fruit with the same seed count. Shade-grown shoots had smaller basal diameters and less dry matter than exposed shoots. Winter mortality among buds on formerly shaded and exposed shoots was 34% and 5%, respectively. Formerly shaded shoots had fewer mixed buds with less flowers per inflorescence than exposed shoots the following spring.