Abstract: To explore rapid utilization methodsfor pruning apple branches, cucumber (Jinyan No. 4) was used as a test material to study the effects of Trichoderma harzianum T11-W and apple branch sawdust on its seedling growth. T. harzianum T11-W was added to the sawdust in advance in one group (this was considered treated sawdust), whereas the other group involved the simultaneous addition of T. harzianum T11-W to sawdust. These two groups were compared with untreated apple branches (raw sawdust) and T. harzianum T11-W alone. Results showed that T. harzianum T11-W exhibited the most significant growth-promoting effect on cucumber seedlings, and when the mass fraction of sawdust was 0.7%, the root length inhibition of sawdust was weakened and the dry weight of its root was further increased by adding T. harzianum T11-W. Although the comprehensive evaluation of Trichoderma with sawdust treatment (treated sawdust or raw sawdust) was not as good as that of T. harzianum T11-W treatment alone, they have the highest root-cap ratio. When the raw sawdust dosage was 0.35%, the promotion of cucumber seedling growth was weaker than that of the control group that did not undergo any treatment. When the dose was 0.7%, the growth-promoting effect was higher than that of the above-mentioned control group, indicating that increasing the amount of raw sawdust facilitated cucumber seedling growth. When the sawdust dosage was 0.35%, the growth-promoting effect of treated sawdust on cucumber seedlings was better than that of raw sawdust. 

Key words: Trichoderma harzianum, apple branch, sawdust, cucumber, seedling growth