Enhancing Kiwi Hardwood Cutting Propagation Success: A Comparative Study of Horticultural Media Grades

Abstract— Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa Lindl.) is a recently domesticated fruit crop in the world. Presently, India produces around 16000.62 MT of Kiwi fruit in an area of more than 4000 Ha. To harness the horticultural potential of hill states, certified and reliable planting materials are required. The present study was conducted to standardize kiwi hardwood cutting propagation by using different media grades. Fourteen treatments were designed using cocopeat, vermiculite, perlite, soil, FYM, and sand. Hardwood cuttings (20-25cm, 5-8 mm girth) of 'Abbott' cultivar were treated with IBA (3000ppm) for 15 seconds and planted in the media under polyhouse conditions. Results indicated that media composition significantly influenced cutting performance. Considering both survival and growth parameters, the media ratio 2 cocopeat: 1 soil: 1 sand: 1 FYM was identified as the best overall treatment, producing the highest values for average shoot length (72.66 cm), average shoot girth (6.29 mm), average root length (34.33 cm), and average root volume (48.33 cc), with a survival rate of 33.33%. Other media, such as pure vermiculite or cocopeat, achieved very high survival (up to 100%) but resulted in less vigorous plant growth. This study provides practical media options for propagators based on whether the priority is maximizing plant survival or achieving superior vegetative growth.