ABSTRACT
This work shows morphometric characteristics of Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. pruned under reforestation. The study was carried out in Catanduvas, Santa Catarina State. All trees (about 14 years old) were cultivated in soil with similar characteristics. The experiment followed a randomized block design arranged in a factorial 3 x 3 corresponding to three distances between the rows of trees (3, 4, and 5 m) and three distances between trees within the rows (2, 3, and 4 m). The trees were divided into two groups. Each group was pruned in September or in January, when the crown was 24 or 28 months old, respectively. All trees were bifurcated near the ground, and, therefore, the perimeter at this level did not show a significant correlation with the crown biomass. The comparison of basal area and number of trunks per plant at the highs of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m, showed that the ideal position to evaluate the trunk attributes was 0.60 m above the ground. The basal area of the trees at this position (g6) reduced with the reduction of the distance between the rows and between the trees within the rows (P < 0.05). The number of trunks per plant measured at 0.6 m above the ground (Nt6) was significantly affected by the distance between plants within the row, with the lowest value been observed when the distance between plants was 2 m. The crown diameter of the trees (Dc8) was higher on trees cultivated under higher spacing between the rows. Crown length and the total high of the trees (ht) were significantly affected by the distance between the rows and by the distance between the trees within the rows. Crown ratio (Cc/ht) was only affected by the distance between plants within the rows. The degree of coverage (Dc8/ht) was affected by the distance between rows. The crown shape (Dc8/Cc) values were close to unity, since the trees showed crown diameter proportional to the crown length.
Key words:
erva-mate; reforestation; biometrics; crown; pruning