New Zealand Red19 and Gold3 kiwifruit skin scuffing susceptibility : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Horticultural Science at Massey University, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 25 February 2026.
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Date
2021
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Massey University
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Abstract
Skin scuffing is a symptom of mechanical damage caused by abrasion; scuffing is mainly an aesthetic issue causing visible discolouration of the skin. Thus, improved understanding of the components of skin scuffing, and the susceptibility of New Zealand kiwifruit would reduce the amount of fruit that is wasted within the supply chain. This
thesis aimed to identify some possible factors influencing skin scuffing susceptibility, as well as to determine quality measures that could be used at harvest to predict the likelihood of skin scuffing in kiwifruit. To achieve this, three harvests of Red19 and Gold3 kiwifruit were collected from three and thirteen grower lines, respectively. A total of 810 Red19 kiwifruit were harvested from the Bay of Plenty region, whilst 2280 Gold3
kiwifruit were harvested from seven Bay of Plenty sub regions, Gisborne, South Auckland and Whangarei. Kiwifruit were assessed at each harvest for the industry standard quality and maturity measures, followed by artificial scuffing using a ‘scuffometer’ to produce consistent damage potential across all harvests. Scuffing was assessed using scales of colour and severity previously designed for Gold3.
The greatest scuffing variation was caused by the harvest time (maturity) with changes in firmness being the largest influence of the observed change. Regional differences had an impact on Gold3 scuffing susceptibility at a national level, but no discernible difference was noticed between the fruit from Italy or New Zealand. Red19 kiwifruit was more resistant to unmarketable levels of scuffing compared to the Gold3 kiwifruit.--Shortened abstract
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Embargoed until 25 February 2026