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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #231219
Title: Release of hairless kiwifruit ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’, and ‘Early Bird’ pollinizer for further evaluation.

Author
item RYUGO, K. - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
item Stover, Eddie

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/27/2008
Publication Date: 7/1/2008
Citation: Ryugo, K., Stover, E.W. 2008. Release of hairless kiwifruit ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’, and ‘Early Bird’ pollinizer for further evaluation.. Journal of American Pomological Society. 62:137-138.

Interpretive Summary: UC Davis is releasing two relatively hairless kiwifruit (Actnidia chinensis) cultivars, ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’, and an early blooming male pollinizer, ‘Early Bird’. Both cultivars mature in late summer. In October 2007, the average fruit weights of ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ were 106 and 60 g, respectively. When harvested, both ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ have short felt-like hairs rather than the bristles of most kiwifruit. ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ tend to bloom about 7-10 days earlier than most commercial kiwifruit and should be planted adjacent to an early blooming male vine, such as ‘Early Bird’ ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ have been very productive, but further trials are needed to establish their commercial potential.. They are available through the National Clonal Germplasm Repository, c/o of the University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA. 95616.

Technical Abstract: UC Davis is releasing two relatively hairless kiwifruit (Actnidia chinensis) cultivars, ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’, and an early blooming male pollinizer, ‘Early Bird’. The ‘Eldorado’ bears one to two fruits on the basal nodes similar to ‘Hayward’; ‘Nugget’ bears clusters of cordate fruits on basal nodes. Both cultivars mature in late summer. In October 2007, the average fruit weights of ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ were 106 and 60 g, respectively. When harvested, both ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ have short felt-like trichomes that wind along the fruit surface. Fruits of both cultivars are very susceptible to leaf scarring and sunburning. ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’ tend to bloom about 7-10 days earlier than the commercial A. deliciosa male pollinizers. Hence, to assure a good set of marketable fruit, they should be planted adjacent to an early blooming male vine, e.g ‘Early Bird’ (tested as Selection 5-23), which bloom concurrently with the two new releases. Cropping has been quite heavy on ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Nugget’, but replicated field tests, postharvest evaluations, and consumer acceptance trials are needed to establish the commercial potential of these new cultivars. These cultivars are available through the National Clonal Germplasm Repository, c/o of the University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA. 95616.