ANATOMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF LEAVES AND LEAF PETIOLES OF ACTINIDIA-DELICIOSA

Differences in anatomy and morphology of the kiwifruit leaves and leaf petioles might play a considerable role in the sex-determination. Thr ee months after bud break (June), the kiwifruit leaves of both male an d female plants, grown on the vegetative and generative shoots showed different leaf area (128.6 +/- 13.45 cm(2) in male and 104.5 +/- 4.02 cm(2) in female plants) and shape. The most frequently leaf shape was determined as ''folium cordatum'' and ''folium rotundato-cordatum''. H igher values of total leaf thickness of the female leaves (190 +/- 3.8 4 mu m) in comparison to male leaves (174 +/- 3.52 mu m) were estimate d, resulting in the thicker adaxial leaf epidermis and especially in t hicker palisade parenchyma in female leaves (136 +/- 2.76 mu m in comp arison to 104 +/- 1.61 mu m in male leaves), Typically bifacial leaves were observed in both male and female leaves. Anomocytic stomata in h ypostomatic leaves were found. The reticulate venation appears to be t he main type of leaf venation. Stalked stellate multicellular trichome s on the abaxial leaf side were frequently observed in the leaves of b oth sexes. No important differences between male and female plants wer e found in the structures of vascular system in leaves and leaf petiol es. Thus leaf thickness and surface morphology of adaxial leaf epiderm is can be considered as important structural parameters in the sex det ermination.