Is kiwifruit suitable for growing in Jiangsu Province?

Many people enjoy eating kiwifruit, not only because of its sweet-and-sour taste, but also because it is rich in vitamins, and it is therefore known as the “king of fruits.” So, can kiwifruit be grown in Jiangsu?

1. Can kiwifruit be grown in Jiangsu?

Kiwifruit can be grown in Jiangsu. Kiwifruit is mainly distributed across a vast area between 18 and 34 degrees north latitude, and requires a warm, humid climate, that is, a subtropical or temperate humid to semi-humid climate. Jiangsu lies between 30°45′ and 35°20′ north latitude, and its climate is a transitional climate from temperate to subtropical, which is very suitable for kiwifruit growth. Moreover, Jiangsu has an advantageous geographical location and abundant water sources, and the fruit is also easy to sell once ripe.

2. Introduction to Xuxiang kiwifruit

Xuxiang kiwifruit is a variety selected and bred in 1975 by the orchard of Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, from seedling plants of delicious kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) introduced from the Beijing Botanical Garden. It has strong adaptability, and introduced plantings in northern Jiangsu, the areas along the Yangtze River, the suburban counties of Shanghai, and the Huang-Huai region such as Shandong and Henan all perform well; under alkaline soil conditions, leaf yellowing and leaf-edge scorch are relatively rare; it grows best on deep, fertile, well-aerated sandy loam.

The fruit of Xuxiang kiwifruit is cylindrical, with a single fruit weight of 70-110 grams and a maximum fruit weight of 137 grams; the skin is yellow-green, covered with yellow-brown fuzz, thin, and easy to peel; the flesh is green, juicy, fine-textured, with a fruity aroma and a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste; it contains 15.3%-19.8% soluble solids, 99.4-123.0 mg/100 g vitamin C, 1.34% acid, 12.1% sugar, 8.5% soluble sugar, and a sugar-to-acid ratio of 6.3.