Ciência Florestal (Dec 2013)
RENEWABLE SUBSTRATES IN THE SEEDLING PRODUCTION OF Eucalyptus benthamii
Abstract
http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509812345The pressing need to increase the number of seedlings planted annually, as well as the reduced availabilityof traditional raw materials for the composition of substrates have led to a need of developing studiesaimed to evaluate and to provide new materials for the composition of substrates, technically andeconomically efficient. On this basis, the present study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility of usingcomponents based on renewable coconut fiber (FC), rice hulls (CAC) in different grain sizes, biosolids(BIO) and semi-decomposed pine bark in the composition substrates for the production of seedlings ofEucalyptus benthamii, as well as to assess the correlation between physical and chemical properties ofsubstrates formulated with the quality of seedlings produced. For this, we formulated 41 treatments, whichhad their physical and chemical properties evaluated, and sowing in tubes made from 55 cm ³. We evaluatedthe height of the shoot and the stem diameter every 30 days, as well as the dry biomass of shoots and radicialareas, the ease of removal of the cartridge and the aggregation of the roots to the substrate at 90 days. It was found that all renewable materials examined were suitable for the production of seedlings. However,the screening of CAC is not justified when compared with the CAC in its entirety. Measurements of heightand diameter prior to final evaluation are unreliable for predicting the outcome. BIO different particle sizeand CAC had low root aggregation to the substrate. The high levels of salinity, conductivity and pH did notharm the growth of seedlings. Concerning to the physical properties, it was observed that substrates withhigher densities and smaller micro-porosity root aggregation provided to the substrate and provided withgreater macro-porosity increased growth of shoots and radicial.
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