Abstract: Hardy kiwifruit, a perennial deciduous vine, belongs to the genus Actinidia (Actinidiaceae). The fruit of hardy kiwifruit features multiple nutrients, sweet and sour tasting, as well as unique flavor. High tolerance of frost and freezing characterizes the adult hardy kiwifruit plant. Recently, as a new economic tree species with great explorative potentials, hardy kiwifruit has gained much attention all over the world. In this study, the characteristics of 74 kiwifruit species from different countries and regions of the world were summarized and analyzed. Meanwhile, this study also pointed out the future directions of selecting and breeding of hardy kiwifruit cultivars. These results may be helpful for breeding and exploration of kiwifruit cultivars in China.

Key words: soil profile, soil water content pattern, irregular bedrock topography, soil-bedrock interface, Karst hillslope.