ISHS Acta Horticulturae 297: II International Symposium on Kiwifruit
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS |
| Authors: | P. E. W. Hewett, P. Rieger | ||||||
| Abstract:
Your Worship the Major, Mr Rieger, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the 2nd International Kiwifruit Symposium. Four years ago some of you had the opportunity to participate in the 1st International Symposium on Kiwifruit hosted by our Italian colleagues in Padova. This followed several local national meetings organised in Italy and a long series of research meetings in New Zealand. There was a need for such an international meeting. Kiwifruit had emerged as a major new commercially successful fruit crop. In the space of twenty years we had seen the development of kiwifruit from a distinctive, nutritionally valuable but novelty fruit, consumed by a limited market and cultivated by a few pioneer growers in Te Puke, New Zealand, to an exciting exportable, profitable fruit crop grown in many countries throughout temperature fruit growing regions of the world. Research was a crucial component in the successful development of kiwifruit. In particular, New Zealand scientists played important roles at critical times in the kiwifruit story. The description and assessment of kiwifruit lead rapidly to the commercial decision that the Hayward cultivar possessed the necessary production, storage and quality attributes for successful market development. Delineation of the fruits susceptibility to ethylene and development of handling, packaging and storage recommendations allowed successful export of kiwifruit to far off European markets (4–5 weeks by ship). Development of a maturity index, based on soluble solids measurements, enabled growers to harvest fruit which could be stored for up to 8 months and reach the consumer in first class condition. Without these three critical research findings, it is possible that kiwifruit may have remained a minor crop with novelty value and limited sales opportunities. Of course, a great deal of research has been carried out, and is still being undertaken on a wide range of important topics. These all contribute to the growing body of knowledge on this unusual fruit. The success of the NZ industry stimulated widespread international plantings. Naturally it was discovered that research was essential to optimise productivity and quality of kiwifruit in each particular region. Almost all countries growing kiwifruit developed research programmes and the international nature of kiwifruit research became a reality. The need to exchange information and ideas at this level was the stimulus to undertake the Padova meeting. Kiwifruit research today is truly international and covers all the topics of traditional horticultural science. A range of production and quality problems still need to be overcome. There is an urgent need for an increased range of kiwifruit cultivars to expand the market opportunities. Production costs need to be reduced to ensure greater grower profitability. Basic research is necessary to understand the mechanisims controlling plant and fruit growth and development, as well as those affecting susceptibility to pests and diseases. There is a world wide trend of reduced government funding of horticultural research. This is particularly true in New Zealand, where it is accompanied by massive structural changes in research institutions and mechanisms by which funding is obtained. Growers are making increased contributions to research through their industry organisations; this has lead to a tendency to retain research results within each country. Apart from a few commercially sensitive topics, where confidentiality may be justified, there are no good reasons why the results of kiwifruit research should not be shared. This Symposium is a further step in the development of international cooperation between kiwifruit scientists from all producing countries. Nearly 300 scientists from 15 countries are gathered together to share findings through 100 oral and 70 poster presentations. There are many areas of research where international cooperation would be of mutual value to participating countries. This includes basic physiological and pathological work, as well as storage, packaging and handling research. It is pleasing to note that such collaborative work is commencing between New Zealand and Italy with the keen support of the kiwifruit industries in both countries. I am sure I speak for everyone participating in this meeting when I say I am looking forward to learning of new discoveries, new ideas and new applications by scientists and technologists which will help the growers in all our countries maintain and increase the profitable production of this unique crop. On behalf of the NZ Society of Horticultural Science, The International Society for Horticultural Science and the kiwifruit scientists in New Zealand, I welcome you to Palmerston North.
Learn a lot.
Make new friends.
Enjoy yourselves.
Enjoy New Zealand.
Have a successful Symposium. I am delighted to have this opportunity of welcoming so many distinguished scientists from thirteen other countries who have assembled to share information and experiences and the results of their research since your first symposium held four years ago in Italy. This city and district has more than a casual interest in the kiwifruit and its development, as it seems evident that a great deal of the seed used to popularise the fruit originated from three plants grown by Norman Gorton of Feilding - just 20 kilometres away - and which had originally been obtained from Wanganui - also nearby - the place where the kiwifruit was first introduced into New Zealand. It is almost certain that it was also at Wanganui that the first commercial kiwifruit orchard in the world, was established around 1930. However, it was Bruno Just, a nurseryman of Palmerston North, who probably did more than anyone else to popularise the fruit in New Zealand. He did this, not only because he particularly liked the fruit but also because he produced enormous numbers of the plants which he struggled to sell and really had to market to get his money back! Since then an enormous amount of research has taken place particularly since the early sixties, and the kiwifruit industry has made such enormous progress, that the horticulture industry in New Zealand is predicted to overtake the wool industry in dollar terms in 1993. However, no one country has all the answers and I am well aware of the respect that our scientists and horticulturists have for work being done in other countries. For this reason I am extremely pleased to be able to welcome you to the city. I hope that your stay here will be a pleasant one and that you all derive great benefits from the symposium and from the friendships that will be being renewed or made. In conclusion, I am bound to say that it is not every day that I have the worlds largest assembly of kiwifruit experts as a captive audience, so I hope you will forgive me if I add one final challenge to your expertise. I rather like kiwifruit, but its such a nuisance having to peel the thing. What about giving a high priority to designing a smooth edible skin for it - I promise that I'll eat a lot more of them! I now declare the 2nd International Kiwifruit Symposium officially open. Each manuscript in this proceedings was reviewed by at least two members of the Programme and Editorial Panel.
Manuscripts were corrected to ensure correct translation to English, clarity of meaning and consistency of style.
All manuscripts from the Conference were accepted but every effort was made to ensure that appropriate interpretation had been made of the scientific data presented.
Manuscripts were rewritten by individual authors to satisfy the review comments made by the Editorial Panel. A large number of research posters were displayed at the conference and many of these have been presented in published form in a special issue of New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, Volume 19, Number 4, 1991. The following DSIR Fruit & Trees staff assisted with the preparation of this proceedings:
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