INFLUÊNCIA DO TAMANHO DO RECIPIENTE NO CRESCIMENTO E QUALIDADE DAS MUDAS DE Eucalyptus deglupta Blume NO VIVEIRO

Abstract

The size of the container for seedling production in forest nurseries, in addition to influencing production costs and logistics, also directly influences the growth and quality of the seedlings formed. The appropriate sizing of the volume, height and diameter of the container varies according to the species to be propagated and the time of permanence in the nursery. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of different sizes of tubes on the growth and quality of Eucalyptus deglupta Blume seedlings. The experiment was conducted in the experimental area of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, where the seedlings were grown in three volumes of tubes: small (55 cm³), medium (110 cm³) and large (280 cm³), arranged in a completely randomized design, with ten replicates, each composed of one seedling. Growth and quality variables of the seedlings were evaluated weekly, from 67 to 95 days after sowing (DAS). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each variable in each evaluation period, and the means were compared using the Tukey test (α = 0.05) and multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). The analyses revealed that the use of larger tubes provided better growth and seedling quality indices. Larger containers favor the development of the root system and increase the capacity for nutrient and water absorption, resulting in more robust seedlings adapted to the field. Although these containers increase the initial production costs due to the greater consumption of substrate and space in the nursery, the potential for less need for replanting and greater precocity in development may compensate this investment in the long term, especially for commercial nurseries and reforestation projects.