FRUIT AND VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF ENDOSPERM-DERIVED KIWIFRUIT (ACTINIDIA-CHINENSIS F) PLANTS

Four hundred and thirty-eight endosperm-derived plants of kiwifruit (A ctinidia chinensis) were observed. The plants were field planted in 19 82 and all had flowered annually since 1986. A sample of these plants was assessed for leaf morphology, growth characteristics, flowering, s ex expression, chromosome number, and fruit quality characteristics. T he chromosome number of the endosperm plants varied from 58 to 146; mo st were aneuploid. A few triploid plants (2n = 3x = 87) were obtained; none of these were parthenocarpic. Segregation of sex expression was observed in progeny from one endosperm-derived callus.