Pruning increases quality and economic value of the wood. Inadequate pruning procedures, however, interfere negatively on growth and consist on a predisposing factor to heartrot. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of intensity and season of pruning on initial growth and on incidence of Acacia mangium trees with non-occluded wounds. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replicates and five treatments: control (without pruning); pruning and singling at 50 and 70% of total height, in low and high precipitation season. Growth evaluations and the presence of non-occluded wounds were performed six months after treatments application. The season and intensity of pruning operations did not influence height and diameter growth. Efficient wound occlusion occurred in trees pruned eight months after planting in low precipitation season, with no intensity effect. On trees pruned 13 months after planting, in high precipitation season, trees predisposed to heartrot were observed.
Racosperma mangium; DBH; height growth; wood rot; disease; forest management
