Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Effect of mineral fertilization and planting density in the dendrometric characteristics of fast-growing eucalypt plantations

ABSTRACT

To achieve a greater nutritional balance in eucalyptus plantations carried out in the short-rotation forestry (SRF), this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different planting spacings (planting densities of 1429 trees ha-1 to 7142 trees ha-1) and three fertilizing regimes (D1 - 25% of the commercial dose, D2 - 50% of the commercial dose and D 3 - commercial dose) in the dendrometric characteristics and the competition index among trees of hybrid clone plantations of Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis at two years old. After adjusted the Weibull function two parameters, it was observed a higher frequency of trees in the upper diametric classes with an increase of the vital area of tree and fertilization dose, which indicated a lower competition between the trees, this behavior was corroborated by the higher relative spacing index found. The treatment with 3571 trees ha-1 (2.8 m × 1.0 m) and half of the commercial dose traditionally practiced in the eucalypt plantations would be the one with the highest nutritional sustainability.

Keywords:
Probability density function; Diametric structure; Relative spacing index

Universidade Federal de Santa Maria Av. Roraima, 1.000, 97105-900 Santa Maria RS Brasil, Tel. : (55 55)3220-8444 r.37, Fax: (55 55)3220-8444 r.22 - Santa Maria - RS - Brazil
E-mail: cienciaflorestal@ufsm.br