Abstract:

The experiment was carried on using 2-year-old potted apple trees[Malus × domestica Borkh.‘Red Fuji’/Malus hupehensis Rehd.] with the fermented crumbs of apple branches which were applied to the pots with the mass ratio of 2% and 4%. The rates of photosynthesis and transportation，increment of trunk girth，root activity and root architecture parameters from each treatment were investigated periodically. The results showed that the leaf net photosynthetic rate，root activity and increment of trunk girth increased after the fermented crumbs of apple branches were applied to the soil and no significant effects were found on the leaf transportation rate and water use efficiency. The number，surface-area，volume，length，diameter and fractal dimension of new roots increased and the root structure was more complex after the application of 2% fermented crumbs；The number，surface-area，volume and length of new roots decreased after the application of 4% fermented crumbs. The comprehensive analysis showed that the effects of 2% dosage on the growth of root and trunk were better than those of 4%.

Key words: apple, young tree, fermented crumbs of apple branches, photosynthesis, root architecture