The effect of pollen donor on fruit weight, seed weight and red colour development in Actinidia chinensis Hort22D

Abstract

Flowers of the red-fleshed female kiwifruit selection Hort22D (diploid Actinidia chinensis) were hand pollinated with pollen from each of three males: Bruce (diploid A. chinensis), M248 (tetraploid A. chinensis) and Chieftain (hexaploid A. deliciosa). The resulting fruit were evaluated at four dates through the growing season and after storage. By the final harvest, fruit from pollination by Bruce had a 47% higher total anthocyanin concentration and weighed 38% more than fruit from pollination by Chieftain, but there was no association between anthocyanin concentration and fruit weight. Total and individual seed weights were also significantly higher following Bruce pollination. Fruit from pollination by M248 were intermediate for these traits. No significant differences were found among pollen treatments in dry matter content or carbohydrate concentrations. These results confirm that the choice of pollen donor can have significant effects on fruit weight, seed weight and total anthocyanin concentration in kiwifruit.