- Kiwi fruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry belongs to the Actinidia family and originates from China.
- All species of Actinidia are perennial, climbing, or scrambling plants, and in addition, the majority are deciduous, although some are evergreen. However, woody vines with young shoots can reach a height of over 9m.
- Actinidia species produce long, petiolated leaves of various shapes and colors. The genus Actinidia consists of over 50 species, many of which have commercial potential.
- The most commonly cultivated species of kiwi is the cultivar Actinidia deliciosa Hayward.
- The kiwi has a refreshing and delicate taste, a pleasant aroma, and great nutritional and medicinal value.
- It is high in vitamin C contains more potassium, phosphorous, and iron, and is low in calories.
- The fuzzy kiwifruit is egg-shaped with brownish skin covered with short stiff hairs.
- Kiwi is a popular fruit, which is eaten in the form of fresh fruit or processed foods such as jam, jelly, candies, squash, and wine.
- Since kiwi is a valuable crop, its farming in Kenya is a potential high-income business opportunity.
- While Kenya has a tropical climate ideal for cultivating kiwis, many people do not have the necessary information to successfully grow this fruit.
- Since the kiwi fruit was recently introduced in Kenya, its cultivation techniques are fairly new to many farmers making its adoption low.
Health benefits associated with kiwi fruits
1. Kiwi fruit help keep skin and hair healthy
Kiwi is a great source of vitamin C, an important antioxidant that can naturally stimulate collagen synthesis. In addition, the high content of vitamin C in kiwis can help keep your skin firm and rejuvenated and also encourage strong strands.
2. May support immunity
Most people associate oranges with their high vitamin C content, but a serving of kiwi fruit (2 small kiwis) has even more vitamin C than a medium-sized orange. The body cannot produce vitamin C, therefore, it is very important to obtain enough of this nutrient through food to protect the body from harmful pathogens.
3. Kiwi fruit can promote healthy digestion
Kiwi fiber promotes digestion. Fiber treats constipation and loose stool — two common digestive problems. In addition, kiwi contain potassium, an important electrolyte that also assists the digestive system.
4. May support healthy weight loss
Kiwis are fruits of low-calorie content. They contain insignificant amounts of fat. In addition, they are full of fiber. All of this makes them a perfect complement to a diet.
5. May slow aging and help prevent diseases
As an antioxidant, the abundant vitamin C in kiwi fruit can help to fight free radicals in the body, which not only supports healthy aging but can also prevent or even delay the development of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
6. Foster the vision of health
Kiwis are high in vitamin C, a strong antioxidant. This antioxidant maintains the cells and tissues of your eyes in good health.
7. Kiwi fruit can help the treatment of cancer
In a study, samples from kiwis showed promising potential against oral cancer cells. Fruit also decreased DNA oxidative damage.
Favorable environmental conditions for growing kiwi fruits.
Climate and soil for kiwi fruit.
Kiwi is a highly resistant deciduous vine that can survive a wide range of climatic conditions. Inorder to obtain high-yield and quality fruits, it requires 700-800 chilling hours below 70C. A soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is considered ideal for vine growth and fruit production. Deep well-drained, sandy-loam soil with a good amount of organic matter is ideal for its cultivation. Kiwis are extremely susceptible to waterlogging. If your soil is compact and water takes longer to drain off, planting in raised beds is advisable. Kiwi can be successfully grown at 800-1500 M above mean sea level and rainfall of about 150cm per year. Kiwis need plenty of water during production so irrigation may be necessary.
Propagation of kiwi fruit plants
Kiwis are commonly asexually propagated by grafting fruit varieties onto rootstocks or rooting kiwis cuttings. However, they can also be multiplied by seed, but the resultant plants are not guaranteed to be true trait to the mother plants. Generally speaking, the multiplication of kiwis cuttings is a pretty simple process for the home gardener.
As a rule, cuttings should be taken during the summer months while the tree is in active growth. Each cutting should be taken from the current season’s growth and should possess 2-3 nodes (leaves). The leaves must be fully developed so that the cut is successful. Once the cuttings have been obtained, they should be stripped of all but the topmost leaf. In addition, rooting hormone is added to assist cuttings development of new roots. Lastly, after treatment with rooting hormone, the kiwi cuttings should be planted in beds or small pots, preferably in a glasshouse, and kept moist.
Planting kiwi fruit
Plant kiwis in springtime after the frost threat has passed and also enjoy long rains. In addition, add compost manure to provide crop nutrition. Kiwis usually start to produce fruit three to five years after planting. In order to obtain a good kiwi harvest, farmer should plant both male and female plants. The females produce the fruit. The best ratio is one male plant per six female plants. Plant the vines at a distance of between 10 and 15 feet. When planting, it may be necessary to prune the roots if they are too long. The vine plants are only deep enough to cover the soil roots well.
Support and pruning kiwifruit
Attach the hardy kiwifruit vine to a porch, deck, or fence rail with plastic wire or garden twine. But if the existing support is not available, build a trellis by constructing a T-bar system with 4-by-4-inch redwood posts. Kiwi is a vigorous vine that grows quickly out of control if not grown on a sturdy stand and cut regularly. Appropriate pruning not only controls plant size but also increases yield. Fruit is produced on canes that are one year old or older. However, production decreases with each cane as it ages. Therefore, canes must be removed and replaced after the third year.
Fertilizer requirements for kiwi fruit
Kiwi seedlings grow well with 2 ounces of nitrogen fertilizer applied per year. But plants 6 years and older need up to 1 pound of nitrogenous fertilizer per year. Use 10-10-10 multipurpose fertilizer, but you can also add ammonium nitrate and urea to your plants.
Harvesting kiwi fruit.
Hardy kiwis take about 150 days to ripen, reaching full size in mid-summer and considered fully ripe at the end of summer. Kiwis will still ripen when picked, so pick a few large fruits and let them sit on a counter for a few days. If they turn brown and sweet smelling, the harvest is ready. If the fruit is hard, wait a bit more before harvesting.
Kiwi storage can last for up to four to six months at temperatures between 31 and 32°F. (-5‑0 C.) , provided the fruit is refrigerated and away from other ripe fruit, which releases ethylene gas and can hasten the disappearance of ripening kiwis. In order to keep the kiwi, chill the fruit as soon as possible after harvesting and keep it moist. The cooler the storage temperature of the kiwis, the longer the kiwis stay.
Pests affecting kiwi fruit
Green-headed leaf roller
Greedy scale
Passion vine Hopper
Two-spotted spider mite
Biological control is highly recommended, but in severe cases apply appreciate pesticides.
Diseases and Management for kiwi fruit
Armillaria Root Rot
Bacterial Blight
Bleeding Canker
Botrytis Fruit Rot
Crown Gall
Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot
Water Staining, Juice Blotch, and Sooty Mold of Fruit
Management.
Control of the disease is reliant on good water management and the application of suitable fungicides. kiwis should be planted in well-drained soils where water does not accumulate after rain or irrigation; plants should be allowed to dry between irrigations.
In conclusion, whereas Kenya has an ideal tropical climate for the cultivation of kiwis, many farmers do not have the necessary information for the successful cultivation of this fruit. Even up to the year 2021, Kenya mainly relied on imported kiwi fruits from Italy, India, and China. Undoubtedly, Kiwi farming is an achievable agribusiness activity in which farmers should consider getting involved into. However, farming is dynamic and constantly changing with technologies, therefore, a lot remains to be done in terms of training and raising awareness among potential farmers.
Reference
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/kiwi/growing-kiwis-from-cuttings.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/kiwi/growing-kiwis-from-cuttings.htm
https://megagriculture.gov.in/public/package_of_practice_kiwi.pdf
