Abstract:In order to clarify the water absorbing capacity of apple leaves and evaluate the crown interception capability and disease resistance of apple leaves,water absorbing quantity and water absorbing rate of front,back and two-side leaves of Fuji and Qinguan apple varieties had been measured using absorbent paper and wet cotton gauze in the loess hilly and gully region of Northern Shaanxi Province.Results showed that the water absorbing quantities of front,back and two-side leaves of two apple varieties increased with absorbing time,presenting a cubic polynomial relation.Water absorbing rates decreased with absorbing time,of which the relationship between water absorbing rate and water absorbing time for the front leaves of two apple varieties presented a quartic polynomial and the back,the two-sided leaves,a cubic polynomial.Furthermore,water absorbing rate and absorbing time for the front leaves of Qinguan apple had a poor correlation.The front,back and two-sided leaves of Fuji apple had larger water absorbing quantity and water absorbing rate 80 min after absorbing.The back and two-side leaves of Qinguan apple had larger water absorbing quantity and water absorbing rate 60 min after absorbing,and water absorbing quantity and water absorbing rate of front leaves had little change 240 min after absorbing.The water absorbing quantity and water absorbing rate of two apple varieties leaves were the highest for the two-side leaves,the middle for the back leaves,and the lowest for the front leaves.The maximum water absorbing quantity and maximum water absorbing rate of the front,back and two-side leaves of Fuji apple were higher than Qinguan apple.