Open Access

ARTICLE

Comparison of photosynthetic and morphological characteristics, and microstructure of roots and shoots, between columnar apple and standard apple trees of hybrid seedlings

Zhang YG, HY Dai

College of Landscape and Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China.

* Corresponding Author:Address Correspondence to: Prof. Dai Hongyi, e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2011, 80(all), 119-125. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2011.80.119

Abstract

The photosynthetic and morphological characteristics, and microstructure of roots and shoots, were studied between columnar apple and standard apple trees derived from the crosses of ‘Fuji’ × ‘Telamon’ and ‘Gala’ × ‘Telamon’. The results showed that chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, the content of chlorophyll A+B, and leaf area index were higher in columnar apple trees than in standard apple trees. In a day cycle, the net photosynthetic (Pn) and transpiration rates (Tr) were higher in the columnar apple trees than in standard apple trees. The daily variations of Pn and Tr were of a double peak cure. Light saturation points were higher and light compensation points were lower in columnar than in standard apple trees. There were significant differences in the phenotype between columnar and standard apple trees. Columnar apple trees had fewer branches, they were very compact, and the internode length was shorter than that in the standard apple trees. The highest percentage of short-shoots in columnar apple was 73.5%. The percentage of short-shoots in standard apple trees derived from the crosses of ‘Fuji’ × ‘Telamon’ and ‘Gala’ × ‘Telamon’ was 38.4% and 41.4%, respectively. At the micro level, these two types of apple also had differences on the microstructure of roots and shoots. The duct diameter of roots and shoots was wider for columnar than standard apple. The number of ducts in roots was also higher in columnar than standard apple. However, there were no significant differences in the number of ducts on shoots of the two apple tree types. Columnar apple trees had higher photosynthetic rates and light energy utilization ratios than standard apple trees, which was beneficial to early fruiting and high yield of columnar apple.

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