ISHS Acta Horticulturae 282: I International Symposium on Kiwifruit
EFFECT OF AVAILABLE SOIL VOLUME ON GROWTH OF YOUNG KIWI PLANTS (1) |
| Authors: | P. Tonutti, C. Giulivo |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.282.36 |
| Abstract:
One-year old plants of kiwifruit, cv. 'Hayward', were grown in containers of different volumes or, in containers of the same volume, an increasing planting density was applied. Vegetative growth was measured by monitoring the shoot length, the number of nodes and the fresh and dry weight of the aerial part. At the end of the growing season, plants were harvested and the root system development was measured. Shoot growth rate was decreased by both reducing the available soil volume and increasing planting density; the shoot growth reduction occured mainly because of a decrease of shoot apex activity. The soil volume reduction and the planting density increase negatively affected the root growth: the root system spreading was inhibited and fresh and dry weight were reduced. It is suggested that root restriction induced by increasing plant density is greatly effective in reducing vegetative activity of the aerial part of the plant and that root competition modifies the functional equilibrium existing between root and shoot. | |
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