Comparative Study of Kiwi Fruit Seed Germination and Seedling Development under Standard and Mycorrhizal Treatments

Abdelzaher, Rania AE; El-Nemr, Maged Abdelaziz; Hosny, Samia Salaheldin; Du, Kui; Qian, Zhang

doi:10.21608/jpfs.2025.374730.1029

Comparative Study of Kiwi Fruit Seed Germination and Seedling Development under Standard and Mycorrhizal Treatments

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Tropical Fruit Research Department-Horticulture Research Institute- Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

² Vegetative Research Department, Agricultural and Biological Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.

³ New Zeland Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwi Fruit, Kiwi Fruit Breeding and Utilization Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Provincial Academy of Natural Resource Sciences, Chengdu, China.

10.21608/jpfs.2025.374730.1029

Abstract

Low and uneven seed germination often hinders the efficient propagation of kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward'). This study evaluated the potential of mycorrhizal inoculation to enhance seed germination and early seedling development, hypothesizing that the symbiotic relationship would improve nutrient uptake and promote vigorous growth. Seeds were sown in a controlled environment (25°C, 16/8 h light/dark cycle, 60% relative humidity) using a 1:1 peat and perlite mixture as the standard growth medium. Treatments included a control group (non-inoculated) and two mycorrhizal inoculation groups: one inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis (strain DAOM 197198) and the other with a combination of R. irregularis and Glomus mosseae (strain BEG 12). Over a 60-day period, germination rate, germination speed (time to first germination and mean germination time), and seedling growth parameters (seedling length, main shoot diameter, number of leaves, root length, and seedling weight) were assessed. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly enhanced both germination rate and speed (p < 0.05), with the mixed-strain treatment yielding a 30% higher germination rate and reducing mean germination time by 12 days compared to the control. Also, it exhibited improvements in root and shoot development, including a 35% increase in root length and a 25% increase in seedling weight. These findings demonstrate that mycorrhizal inoculation, especially with mixed strains, offers a sustainable and effective approach to improving seed germination and early seedling growth in A. deliciosa 'Hayward'. This method enhances propagation efficiency and reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers, providing an environmentally friendly alternative for kiwi fruit cultivation.

Keywords