The influence of rootstock and water-absorbing geo-composite on the growth and yielding of apple trees

The aim of the research was the estimation of growth and yield of 'Ligol'cv. apple trees depending on rootstock and polymeric sorbent called geo-composite SAP . The experiment was conducted in years 2006-2010 in Research Station be-longing to department of Horticulture at Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Two-year-old trees of ‘Ligol' cultivar were planted in the spring 2006 in 3, 5 x 1, 0 m spacing, on three rootstocks: M.9, P 60 and M26. The second factor of the experiment was application of geo-composite SAP in the form of agrożel placed inside geo-textile as strip with the width of 10 and length adjusted to a plot with trees The wet geo-composite, was put on the bottom of holes before the trees planting. The experiment was established according with randomized split-block me-thod, in three replication with tree trees on each plot. The trees were fruiting as early in the year of planting. Fruit yield was from particular tree determined by separate weighing. The weight of one fruit was estimated on the basis of the yield from one tree and number of picked up fruit. Tree vigour assessed taking into ac-count the increase in cross sectional area of the trunk, ...