HortNews
	Kiwifruit Sector Analyses Requirements For Gold Fruit

TAURANGA 9/11/2001 - Kiwifruit orchardists are increasingly identifying different cultural practices rquired to produce "gold" kiwifruit to the same levels of efficiency as the traditional green Hayward cultivar, says horticulture consultant Mike Muller.

 "The more we learn about gold kiwifruit the more we find it's different," he said.

Mr Muller is part of the gold field service team that was set up by exporter Zespri four years ago when gold kiwifruit was launched as a commercial crop.

The team has been identifying the "best practice" cultivation, packing and storage methods for the new fruit.

 Growers faced more costs growing gold as pruning and vine management was more time-consuming given the natural crown dominance of gold, Mr Richardson said.

 The group was assisted by a huge number of trials on specific factors by HortResearch and Zespri. Innovation, and collected information on all growing methods to screen out performances affected by climatic or site variations.

 "It's a matter of holding back on our natural instinct to do what we're doing with green," Mr Muller said.

 The total gold crop is relatively small at the moment but as it grows the plan is to have early gold fruit and also long-keeping fruit that will extend the season.

 Although there are exceptions, sales of most gold fruit are finished at the end of September.

 The team is working out the science needed to extend storage life but Mr Muller said there was not enough knowledge yet to come out and say exactly what was needed.

 Mr Richardson said work was being done on fertiliser inputs and balancing trace elements.

 "There are plenty of theories. We're looking for consistency and we want to put the balanced sustainable view," Mr Muller said.

 Gold fruit set was very good this spring. Mr Richardson said that was due to condensed flowering -- a result of excellent winter chill and the sudden change from winter weather to spring.

 The men said the basics of good plant husbandry, well-sheltered orchards and good management should be followed by gold growers.

 "The first step should always be to focus on controlling gold's growing crown while maintaining the maximum amount of leaf - connected to the fruit - in the sun," Mr Muller said.

 He said the crown needed to be controlled to avoid a tangled and thick canopy that would block sun from the leaves it needed to reach.

 Also at this time of the year controlling leaf roller and scale meant the pests could not get to small vulnerable fruit.