Effects of ⁶⁰Co y-ray radiation on kiwifruit grafted buds

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of radiation treatment of the grafted buds in kiwifruit improvement. After treated with 50 Gy ⁶⁰Co y-ray, buds from different fruit spurs of Actinidia were top grafted onto the heavily pruned mature vines with 50 -100 grafted buds per stock plants and the grafted plants were under intensive cultural practices for high survival rate of the grafting. The experimental results showed that treatment with ⁶⁰Co y-ray increased SSR diversity and phenotypic variations of the kiwifruit canes produced from the grafted buds. Selection of the favourable variants from a large population (canes from different plants) in a limited area of kiwifruit orchard was possible and some of favourable variants from the grafted populations were selected and rapidly propagated for further utilization in kiwifruit improvement.