Flower and fruit characters in a kiwifruit hermaphrodite

The dioecious genus Actinidia includes the kiwifruit, A. deliciosa. Currently, the kiwifruit industry is based predominantly on a single female cultivar, 'Hayward', with up to 13% of the orchard canopy in commercial blocks in New Zealand consisting of unfruitful males vines, necessary as pollinizers. The development of hermaphrodite cultivars became a possibility with the identification of inconstant males, which carry a mixture of staminate flowers and bisexual flowers, the latter developing into small fruits containing seeds. This paper describes a hermaphrodite vine, obtained as a rare variant among the progeny from a cross between 'Hayward' and an inconstant (fruiting) male. Testing of pollen from all flowers in one season and measurement of fruit characters after self-setting demonstrated this seedling is completely hermaphroditic, carrying only bisexual flowers, with no restriction on selfing. Although it does not have commercial potential, it will be used as a parent. Perceived benefits from the development of hermaphrodite cultivars include increased productivity, improved pollination, simplified vine management and therefore substantial cost savings. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.