Abstract
The flower bud differentiation and development in a pistillate cultivar ‘Bluno’ and a staminate cultivar ‘Matua’ of kiwi (Actinidia chinensis Planch.) were studied at Kanagawa Prefecture from 1981 to 1982.
1. Both ‘Bluno’ and ‘Matua’ differentiated flower buds in mid-March.
2. The flower bud development in these cultivars progressed very rapidly after differentiation and the initial formation of stamens was observed on April 5 in ‘Bluno’ and March 30 in ‘Matua’.
3. Full bloom was observed in ‘Bluno’ about 65 days after flower bud differentiation and the blooming period was 5-7 days.
4. Full bloom in ‘Matua’ was observed about 62 days after flower bud differentiation and flowering continued to the end of May.
5. Thus, the time of flower bud differentiation in kiwi is different from those in most of the deciduous fruit trees. That is, most of the deciduous fruit trees initiate the flower bud differentiation during the season preceding the year in which the flowers bloom, but kiwi does not until mid-March of the current year of flowering.
