The effects of soil nutrient on fruit quality of 'Hayward' kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) in Northwest China

Attempts had been made to provide clear insight on the performance of fruit quality and the status of soil nutrient and to explain the soil nutrient factors that predominantly affect the fruitquality of kiwifruit. The 8-year-old kiwifruit cultivar 'Hayward, which is grown in Zhouzhi County (33 degrees 42'N, 108 degrees 37'E), Shanxi Province, China, was used as the material in the study. The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient illustrated that the soil organic matter (OM) content was positively related to the soil property except the soil pH. Moreover, based on the canonical correlation analysis (CCA), the canonical variables alkaline hydrolyzable-N (AN), available iron (AFe), available boron (AB), and pH of the soil property index and the fruit quality parameters fresh weight of single fruit (FW), fruit shape index (Fl), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and total soluble sugar (SS) were selected. The best regression equation (model) indicated that the effects of the soil nutrient somewhat varied among 'Hayward' fruit quality in Northwest of China. Specifically, the FW and SS were positively related to soil AN, while FI was negatively related to soil AB and PH; TSS showed a positive correlation with soil AFe, whereas TA was positively related to soil AN(x(3)), AFe(x(6)) and PH(x(9)). Soil pH is an important factor affecting the availability of soil nutrient, and its effect on fruit quality is probably affected the absorption of soil nutrient.