Nutrient Deficiency Affects Root Architecture of Young Seedlings of Malus hupehensis (Pamp) Rehd. Under Conditions of Artificial Medium Cultivation

What the researchers go in for is to establish models between root architecture (RA) changes and nutrition, mold ideal root architecture of apple trees, improve the nutrient uptake efficiency, and further explore the functional mechanism of nutrient elements during the course of RA construction. The cultivation system of filter paper is utilized to research the effect of nutrient deficiency on the RA of Malus hupehensis (Pamp.) Rehd. There may be eight types of RA. In complete Hogland solution, the main type of RA is “lateral roots clustering in the upper and middle regions of primary root”. With the lack of P, K or Ca, the main type of RA is “lateral roots clustering in the upper region primary root”, and the “lateral roots clustering in the upper and middle regions of primary root” types of RA decrease. But with shortage of P, the type of lateral roots clustering in the upper and lower regions of primary root increases, and the type of lateral roots clustering in the middle region of primary root decreases, with the types of RA diversified. Under the condition of K deficiency, the type of no lateral root increases and types of lateral roots clustering in the middle region of primary root decrease, and the percentage of such types as “no lateral root”, “lateral roots clustering in the upper region of primary root”, and “lateral roots clustering in the upper and middle regions of primary root” accounts for 97.9% in all, with the types of RA simplified. With lack of Fe, Mg or Zn, the main type of RA is “lateral roots clustering in the upper and middle regions of primary root”, but the type of lateral roots evenly-distributed on primary root increases. The main type of RA is “lateral roots evenly-distributed on primary root”, under the condition of N deficiency, and the types of RA turn out to be diversified. There exists a close relation between nutrient deficiency and RA changes. Owing to various forms of nutrient deficiency, correspondingly different types of RA have been produced.