Cytokinins and fruit development in the kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa). I. Changes during fruit development

The cytokinin content in fruit tissue of the kiwifruit ( Actinidia deliciosa [A. Chev.] C. F. Liang et A. R. Ferguson var. deliciosa cv. Hayward) was monitored during fruit development to identify which cytokinins were present and if they were linked with specific stages of fruit growth. Cytokinins were isolated and purified by column chromatography and high‐performance liquid chromatography and quantified by radioimmunoassay. A novel HPLC step utilising an amine column was successfully introduced as a preparative step in the separation of the O ‐ and 9‐glucosides from the free bases and ribosides. The radioimmunoassay results were validated, and the different cytokinins identified, by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Cytokinins detected in fruit included the cytokinin free bases, zeatin and isopentenyladenine, their ribosides, nucleotides and both O ‐ and 9‐glucosides. Both qualitative and quantitative changes of the cytokinins occurred during fruit development. A decrease in cytokinin concentration occurred after anthesis (from 342 pmol g −1 fresh weight at anthesis to 41 pmol g −1 fresh weight 27 days after anthesis). A large increase in cytokinin concentration and content per fruit occurred as the fruit reached commercial maturity (to 1900 pmol g −1 fresh weight). Individual cytokinins showed quite different patterns. Zeatin, in particular, showed a peak in concentration (13 pmol g −1 fresh weight) 11 days after anthesis that correlated with the beginning of the cell division phase of fruit growth. The accumulation of cytokinin (mostly zeatin riboside or zeatin nucleotide) in mature fruit may be of significance for the postharvest storage of kiwifruit fruit.