Determination of Flower Characteristics of some Kiwifruit Genotypes (Actinidia Spp.) Obtained with Breeding Program

Abstract

All Actinidia species are dioecious, male and female flowers grow on separate kiwifruit plants. In breeding studies, it is generally desirable to obtain female individuals. However, male plants are also of great importance for pollination. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the flower characteristics of the genotypes obtained by breeding studies. This research was conducted in the kiwifruit breeding plot of Yalova Atatürk Horticultural Central Research Institute for two years. Genotypes obtained from cultivars belonging to Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis were used in the research. At the time of flowering, phenological observations of male and female genotypes, which are prominent in the population, have been made and the developmental stages of the flowers have been determined. At least 10 flowers of each genotype were used to determine the morphological characteristics.