The objective of the research is to develop a technique for determine and (or) prediction of geometric parameters of an apple tree root system. This technique can be used in design of drip irrigation for fructified orchards. Knowing the geometric dimensions of the main part of root system, zone of local irrigation and fertilizer applying can be determined. While design drip irrigation system the data obtained may be used to substantiate the layout of drip emitters in the under-crown space and their quantity. The developed technique is presented as a calculation algorithm of such parameters as the depth of the location of the main part of an apple tree root system in soil, mean radius (diameter) of an apple tree root system, planned space of the boundary of the location zone of the main part of an apple tree root system from a tree bole by three measurements: number of roots, length of roots, and weight of roots, the area of a horizontal plane of the location zone of the main part of a root system at ground surface, the volume of soil occupied by the main part of horizontal and vertical roots. The calculation results are presented as area and volume geometric characteristics. Comparison of calculated and experiment data on determine the space of roots from a tree bole has shown that the difference between calculated and experiment data were 0.30-16.3 % for Moscow region, 5.14-5.87 % for Sumy region, 8.30-12.50 for Crimea, 2.80-6.00 % for Krasnodar territory, and 0.80-4.33 % for Rostov region.
Keywords: roots, root system, root depth, space of roots, plant nutrition area, number of roots, length of roots, weight of roots, local irrigation, apple orchard.
