Study on the propagation of Actinidia latifolia and Actinidia deliciosa in Lam Dong province, Vietnam

DALAT UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Volume 11, Issue 1, 2021 23-33

STUDY ON THE PROPAGATION OF Actinidia latifolia AND

Actinidia deliciosa IN LAM DONG PROVINCE, VIETNAM

Le Hong En^a*, Hoang Thanh Truong^a, Nguyen Thanh Nguyen^a

^aForest Science Institute of Central Highlands and South of Central Vietnam, Lam Dong, Vietnam

^*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]

Article history

Received: August 17^th, 2020

Received in revised form: November 5^th, 2020 | Accepted: December 9^th, 2020

Available online: February 5^th, 2021

Abstract

Actinidia latifolia and Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit) are two species with many applications

in food and medicine. They are capable of growing and developing in Lam Dong province

and similar temperate climates. This study assesses the effect of three plant growth regulators

(NAA, IBA, and IAA) on the root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings. At the same time,

seed germination and the effect of various soil and coir mixtures on the growth of kiwifruit

seedlings were tested in the nursery. The results for the Actinidia latifolia cuttings after 60

days showed that NAA and IBA at 1.00% concentration gave the best results, with a rooting

percentage of 76.67%, number of roots/cutting of 3.91, and length of roots/cutting of 5.65 cm

for NAA. For IBA at 1.00% concentration, the rooting percentage was 66.67%, the number

of roots/cutting was 2.43, and the length of roots/cutting was 4.42 cm. When using IAA, the

concentration of 1.50% brought the best results, with a rooting percentage of 66.67%,

number of roots/cutting of 2.81, and length of roots/cutting of 4.34 cm. The germination

percentage of kiwifruit reached 81.00% after 25 days. The best growth of Actinidia deliciosa

seedlings was in a media mixture of 25.00% soil and 75.00% coconut coir, with survival

percentage, height of seedlings, and number of leaves/seedling of 96.00%, 5.02 cm, and 7.17

leaves, respectively, after 45 days.

Keywords: Actinidia latifolia; Germination; Kiwifruit; PGRs; Propagation; Rooting.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.37569/DalatUniversity.11.1.762(2021)

Article type: (peer-reviewed) Full-length research article

Licensing: This article is licensed under a CC BY-NC 4.0

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DALAT UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE [NATURAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY]

INTRODUCTION

1.

The Actinidia genus has 6-7 species in Vietnam (Huang, 2016; Phạm, 2000).

Actinidia latifolia habitats are distributed across the country in Kon Tum, Lam Dong,

Quang Ninh, and elsewhere (Phạm, 2000; Võ, 2012). The plants usually grow in ravines,

open forests, and near streams. The fruit, stems, and roots of Actinidia latifolia are used

to make medicine and treat many different diseases, such as urolithiasis, indigestion,

rheumatism, high blood pressure, back pain, breast swelling, hemorrhoids, snake bites,

and cancer. The plant is often used in traditional medicines (Võ, 2012). The fruit is edible

and high in vitamin C and antioxidants (Du et al., 2009; Võ, 2012). Actinidia latifolia has

a high potential for food applications such as jam, juice, or fruit wine.

Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit) is an imported fruit with many nutrients. It is rich

in vitamins A, E, and C, fiber, potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and omega-3

fatty acids, and phytonutrients. It has many health benefits, such as fighting obesity,

cancer, heart disease, preventing diabetes, and treating asthma in children. In particular,

kiwifruit contains actinidin, a unique natural proteolytic enzyme that breaks down

proteins and facilitates digestion (Richardson et al., 2018). Currently, kiwifruit is widely

cultivated and has become a commercial, high-income crop globally. Areas with

temperate climates such as Da Lat (Lam Dong province) and Sa Pa (Lao Cai province) of

Vietnam have suitable conditions to grow this plant.

Kiwifruit cultivation has become popular in Vietnam and worldwide. Kiwifruit

has been tested for propagation by various methods, including seeds, cuttings, and plant

cell tissue culture (Duong et al., 2012; Celik et al., 2006; Üçler et al., 2004). Kiwifruit is

an imported plant, so the initial research materials are effectively seeds. However, there

have been no trials related to sowing, finding suitable substances for seedlings, or

evaluating the adaptability of this potential crop in our country. Step-by-step experiments

on kiwifruit propagation aim initially to assess its ability to germinate and adapt to the

climatic conditions of Da Lat (Lam Dong province).

Actinidia latifolia propagation is still limited; there is no research related to sexual

and asexual propagation of this plant worldwide and in Vietnam. Actinidia latifolia

produces edible fruit. It is difficult to collect the fruit when ripe because it is often eaten

by birds and small animals so that only the stems are suitable research materials. The

propagation by cuttings of Actinidia latifolia aims to preserve and develop this non-wood

forest product, and the cuttings can also be used as graft trees for imported kiwifruit

varieties. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of three plant growth regulators,

naphthyl acetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and indole-3 butyric acid (IBA),

on the root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings. At the same time, seed germination

and the effect of different soil and coir mixtures on the growth of kiwifruit seedlings were

tested in the nursery.

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Le Hong En, Hoang Thanh Truong, and Nguyen Thanh Nguyen

2.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1.

Materials

Zespri commercial green kiwifruit was used, and Actinidia latifolia was collected

from natural forests near Da Lat, Lam Dong province.

2.2.

Methods

2.2.1. Conditions

Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse in Da Lat, Lam Dong province. The

average temperature ranged from 15 °C to 25 °C, and the average humidity in the

greenhouse ranged from 80% to 90%. The water misting regime in the greenhouse was

5 seconds in duration at 30 minute intervals.

2.2.2. Experiment design

•

Influence of NAA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings:

The experimental material was Actinidia latifolia semi-hardwood cuttings about

10-12 cm in length (Figure 1). NAA plant growth regulator was used in concentrations of

0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% w/w (denoted A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5, respectively).

The experiment was performed on a sand tray in a greenhouse. Each treatment used 30

cuttings that were harvested after 60 days. The rooting percentage (%), number of

roots/cutting, and length of roots/cutting (cm) were recorded.

•

Influence of IAA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings:

The experimental material was Actinidia latifolia semi-hardwood cuttings about

10-12 cm in length (Figure 1). IAA plant growth regulator was used in concentrations of

0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% (denoted B1, B2, B3, B4, and B5, respectively). The

experiment was performed on a sand tray in a greenhouse. Each treatment used 30

cuttings that were harvested after 60 days. The rooting percentage (%), number of

roots/cutting, and length of roots/cutting (cm) were recorded.

•

Influence of IBA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings:

The experimental material is Actinidia latifolia semi-hardwood cuttings of about

10-12 cm in length (Figure 1). IBA plant growth regulator was used in concentrations of

0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% (denoted C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5, respectively). The

experiment was performed on a sand tray in a greenhouse. Each treatment used 30

cuttings that were harvested after 60 days. The rooting percentage (%), number of

roots/cutting, and length of roots/cutting (cm) were recorded.

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•

Germination and growth of kiwifruit on sand substrates:

The materials are green kiwifruit seeds extracted from fresh fruit and washed

under tap water. The experiment was performed on a sand tray in a greenhouse. The

treatment used 100 seeds. The plants were harvested after 30 days and the following data

were recorded: germination percentage (%), height of seedlings (cm), the initial day of

germination (day), and the final day of germination (day).

•

Influence of different growth media mixtures on kiwifruit seedling growth:

The experimental materials were kiwifruit seedlings with a height of 1.0-1.2 cm.

The substrate test was based on the mixing ratio of coconut coir and soil with coir contents

of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (denoted D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5, respectively). The

experiment was performed in plastic bags of size 6 x 12 cm placed in the greenhouse.

Each treatment used 25 plants that were harvested after 60 days, and the survival

percentage (%), height of seedlings (cm), and number of leaves/seedling were recorded.

2.3.

Statistical analysis

The statistical analysis was performed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences

(SPSS) software version 16.0 using Duncan’s range test (Duncan, 1955).

3.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1.

Influence of NAA, IBA, and IAA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia

cuttings

Phytohormones are auxiliary substances that act as plant growth regulators

(PGRs) under nursery conditions to increase the number of seedlings, shorten rooting

time, increase rooting percentage, and increase the number of roots per plant

(Kulevanona, 2011). Many research results show that PGRs influence rooting parameters

and that different types of PGRs are suitable for different plant species. Nazir et al. (2018)

showed that Taxus wallichiana cuttings are best rooted using 1,000 ppm IBA and cuttings

in the spring (March to May). Salvia fruticosa has the best rooting results when IAA is

used (Sağlam et al., 2014). Zhang et al. (2015) compared the effects of NAA, IBA, and

IAA on Carya illinoinensis and demonstrated that the rooting effect on this plant is best

with NAA, intermediate with IBA, and least with IAA.

Results of experiments that evaluated three different types of PGRs (NAA, IBA,

and IAA) on Actinidia latifolia rooting formation to find suitable concentrations and

PGRs for cuttings are shown in Table 1. The rooting percentage in the treatments with

NAA at all concentrations were higher than for the control. The rooting percentages for

the NAA treatments ranged from 50.00% to 76.67%, compared to the rooting percentage

of 30.00% for the control. The rooting percentage was highest with the 1.00% NAA

treatment (2.5 times higher than the control). In addition to the rooting percentage, the

number of roots and their lengths are very important in assessing the quality of the

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Le Hong En, Hoang Thanh Truong, and Nguyen Thanh Nguyen

cuttings. The number of roots was lowest in the control treatment (1.33 roots/cutting) and

highest in the 1.00% NAA treatment (3.91 roots/cutting). The root lengths were in the

range of 2.41-5.65 cm/cutting with the shortest lengths for the control treatment and the

longest for the 1.00% NAA treatment. For an experiment using NAA, a concentration of

1.00% is recommended for the best cuttings results.

Figure 1. Experimental Actinidia latifolia cuttings

Note: (a) Branch with flowers; (b, c) Branches with fruit; (d) Cuttings (left to right: softwood, semi-

hardwood, and hardwood); (e) Callus formation cuttings and rooting cuttings.

Table 1. Influence of NAA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings

Rooting

percentage

Number of

roots/cutting

Length of

roots/cutting

Concentration

(%)

Treatment

(%)

(cm)

A1

Control

0.50

30.00

60.00

76.67

56.67

50.00

54.67

1.33 ± 0.50^c

1.72 ± 0.89^bc

3.91 ± 1.65^a

2.41 ± 1.28^b

2.00 ± 0.65^bc

2.49 ± 1.49

2.41 ± 0.42^c

2.82 ± 0.85^c

5.65 ± 1.18^a

3.66 ± 0.94^b

3.53 ± 0.86^b

3.87 ± 1.50

A2

A3

1.00

A4

1.50

A5

2.00

Mean

Note: Data are shown as mean ± SD. Data in each column followed by different letters were significantly

different at p ≤ 0.05 using Duncan’s test.

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The use of IBA also affects rooting similar to NAA (Table 2). All experimental

treatments gave rooting parameters higher than the control. The best rooting treatment

was IBA at 1.00% concentration, which gave a rooting percentage of 66.67%, 2.43

roots/cutting, and root lengths of 4.42 cm/cutting. The most effective concentration is

followed by treatments with IBA at concentrations of 1.50%, 2.00%, and 0.50%. The

control treatment has the lowest rooting efficiency. The most effective concentration of

IAA of 1.50% (compared to 1.00% for NAA and IBA) produced a rooting percentage of

66.67%, 2.81 roots/cutting, and root lengths of 4.34 cm/cutting (Table 3). The next best

treatments were 1.00% IAA and 2.00% IAA. The treatment of 0.50% IAA and the control

treatment had similar results.

Table 2. Influence of IBA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings

Rooting

percentage

Number of

roots/cutting

Length of

roots/cutting

Concentration

(%)

Treatment

(%)

(cm)

B1

Control

0.50

30.00

60.00

66.67

60.00

36.67

54.67

1.33 ± 0.50^c

1.39 ± 0.61^c

2.43 ± 1.25^a

2.06 ± 0.54^ab

1.82 ± 1.25^ab

1.88 ± 0.99

2.41 ± 0.42^c

2.68 ± 0.40^c

4.42 ± 0.85^a

4.29 ± 0.57^a

3.17 ± 0.48^b

3.57 ± 1.02

B2

B3

1.00

B4

1.50

B5

2.00

Mean

Note: Data are shown as mean ± SD. Data in each column followed by different letters were significantly

different at p ≤ 0.05 using Duncan’s test.

Table 3. Influence of IAA on root formation of Actinidia latifolia cuttings

Rooting

percentage

Number of

roots/cutting

Length of

roots/cutting

Concentration

(%)

Treatment

(%)

(cm)

C1

Control

0.50

30.00

56.67

63.33

66.67

50.00

53.33

1.33 ± 0.50^b

1.29 ± 0.47^b

1.47 ± 0.51^b

2.81 ± 1.21^a

1.73 ± 0.88^b

1.81 ± 1.00

2.41 ± 0.42^d

2.69 ± 0.61^d

3.81 ± 0.58^b

4.34 ± 0.57^a

3.13 ± 0.62^c

3.43 ± 0.91

C2

C3

1.00

C4

1.50

C5

2.00

Mean

Note: Data are shown as mean ± SD. Data in each column followed by different letters were significantly

different at p ≤ 0.05 using Duncan’s test.

Comparing the use of growth regulators in all three treatments, 1.0% NAA, 1.0%

IBA, and 1.5% IAA, the rooting parameters were better, but more variable than with the

control (Figure 2). PGRs should be used at appropriate doses because high concentrations

inhibit rooting, similar to the above experiments (Tables 1-3). When NAA and IBA were

used in concentrations of 1.5% and 2.0%, the rooting parameters were less than with the

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Le Hong En, Hoang Thanh Truong, and Nguyen Thanh Nguyen

1.0% treatment. Similarly, concentrations over 1.5% should not be used with IAA. The

above results are also consistent with previous research results (Nazir et al., 2018; Sağlam

et al., 2014; Sun & Bassuk, 1991; Zhang et al. 2015).

Figure 2. Influence of three plant growth regulators at various concentrations on

root formation of semi-hardwood cuttings

3.2.

Germination and growth of kiwifruit on sand substrates

Results of kiwifruit sowing are shown in Table 4. Kiwifruit seeds sown on sand

have a germination percentage of 81.00%. The seeds began to germinate after 19 days

and germination ended after 25 days. The germination percentage can be increased by

carefully selecting seeds, using germination stimulants, controlling the temperature, and

choosing the right substrate. By so doing, the germination percentage reached 99.17%

(Celik et al., 2006).

Table 4. Germination and growth of kiwifruit on sand substrate

Rooting percentage Height of seedlings

Initial day of germination Final day of germination

Substrate

Sand

(day)

(%)

81

(cm)

1.0-1.2

19

25

3.3.

Influence of substrates on kiwifruit growth

When the seeds had germinated, hulled, and had two cotyledons, they were

transplanted for the substrate mixing experiments. Plants are adapted to different soil

types, with soil porosity and water-holding being important factors affecting plant

growth. Table 5 shows growth results of kiwifruit seedlings for different soil-coconut coir

combination ratios. The survival percentage is over 90% in all treatments. The most

suitable soil and coconut coir mixture for kiwifruit seedlings is 25% soil mixed with 75%

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coconut coir. The tallest seedlings and the highest number of leaves/seedling were 5.02 cm

and 7.17 leaves, respectively. For the least effective treatment, 100% soil, the plant height

was only 2.10 cm and seedlings had only 3.88 leaves on average. The variations in the

number of leaves and plant height in the experimental treatments are expressed in the

standard deviation values (Figure 3). The standard deviation of the number of leaves in

the treatments ranged from 0.40 to 0.52 (except for treatment D2, which was 0.24). The

standard deviation of plant height ranged from 0.61 to 0.80. These initial results show

that the nursery-stage kiwifruit seedlings are suited to soils with high porosity and

moisture content rather than compact, low-moisture soils. The growth results of the

substrate treatments are shown clearly in Figure 4. Seedlings in the nursery grew and

adapted well to the weather conditions in Da Lat (Lam Dong province) (Figure 5).

Table 5. Influence of substrates on kiwifruit growth

Treatment

Living percentage Height of seedling

Number of

leaves/seedling

Symbol

Soil

(%)

Coconut coir

(%)

(cm)

D1

100

75

50

25

0

96.00

100.00

96.00

92.00

96.00

2.10 ± 0.41^e

2.66 ± 0.24^d

3.28 ± 0.44^c

5.02 ± 0.40^a

4.28 ± 0.52^b

3.46 ± 1.14

3.88 ± 0.80^d

5.17 ± 0.70^c

5.96 ± 0.61^b

7.17 ± 0.64^a

6.30 ± 0.70^b

5.69 ± 1.31

D2

25

50

75

100

D3

D4

D5

Mean

Note: Data are shown as mean ± SD. Data in each column followed by different letters were significantly

different at p ≤ 0.05 using Duncan’s test.

Figure 3. Height and number of kiwifruit seedling leaves for various experimental

treatments

30

Le Hong En, Hoang Thanh Truong, and Nguyen Thanh Nguyen

(a)

(b)

(c)

(e)

(f)

(d)

Figure 4. Growth of kiwifruit seedlings for various experimental substrates

Note: (a) Mixed soil and coconut coir substrates, from left to right: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% coconut

coir; (b) Control (0% coconut coir); (c) 25% coconut coir; (d) 50% coconut coir; (e) 75% coconut coir;

(f) 100% coconut coir.

Figure 5. Growth of kiwifruit seedlings after three months

4.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study show that PGRs can promote the root formation of

Actinidia latifolia in propagation by cuttings. Using a concentration of 1.0% for NAA and

IBA and a concentration of 1.5% for IAA showed the strongest effect on root growth.

The germination percentage of kiwifruit seeds reached 81.0% after 25 days. The best

substrate for the growth of kiwifruit seedlings is 25.0% soil with 75.0% coconut coir.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the Forest Science Institute of Central Highlands

and South of Central Vietnam. They created the most favorable conditions for us to

complete this study.

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