Summary:

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, the number of one-year-old shoots and the sum of their length. To determine the relation between trees growth and their yielding, there was estimated crop efficiency index. The estimated factors had influence on the growth and yielding of ‘Ligol' cv. in the first five years after planting orchard. However, the effect both rootstock and geo-composite was varied, depending on the age of the trees. The results showed high usefulness of P60 rootstock because of the good yield of the trees, high fruit quality and sustainable growth. Beneficial effects of these rootstock can be increased by using of geo-composite.