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All the fruit from kiwifruit vines (Actinidia deliciosa (A.Chev.) CF. Liang et A.R. Ferguson cv.Hayward) were dipped in 10 mgllitre solutions of forchlorfenuron (N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-Nphenylurea) 35 and 36 days after full bloom at two sites in the 1989/90 season and 22 days after full bloom at one site in 1990/91. Growth curves showed that treated fruit grew 30--60% faster than untreated fruit, both during the rapid cell division and expansion phase (fmt 53-74 days after full bloom), and during the subsequent slower cell expansion phase through to harvest. The mean harvest weight of export quality fruit from forchlorfenuron treated vines was increased by 27-46% (average weight for three sites 143 g) compared to untreated fruit (107 g). Forchlorfenuron treatments did not influence overall rejection rates. Forchlorfenuron treatments appeared to increase some fruit shape defects but that was compensated by a H91077 Received 24 September 1991; accepted 7 February 1992 reduction in pollination and blemish defects. At harvest, forchlorfenuron treated fruit had lower total soluble solids and flesh ftrmness than untreated fruit.

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The effect of cis-propenylphosphonic acid (PPOH), a structural analoge of ethylene, on flower wilting and ethylene production was investigated using cut carnation flowers which are very sensitive to ethylene . Wilting (petal in-rolling) of the flowers was delayed by continuously immersing the stems in a 5-20 mM PPOH solution . In addition, the continuous treatment with PPOH markedly reduced autocatalytic ethylene production of the petals accompanying senescence . This reduction of autocatalytic ethylene production was considered responsible for the inhibitory effect of PPOH on flower wilting . The inhibitory activity of trans-propenylphosphonic acid (trans-PPOH), on both flower wilting and the autocatalytic ethylene production accompanying senescence was markedly lower than that of PPOH, suggesting that PPOH action is stereoselective . PPOH may be of interest as a new, water-soluble inhibitor of wilting and autocatalytic ethylene production in cut carnation flowers . 405

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