EFFECT OF SPACING ON INITIAL GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF EUCALYPTUS IN A SYSTEMIC “FAN-SHAPED” DESIGN

Resumo

Considering the importance of optimizing forest production, plant spacing is one of the most relevant silvicultural practices, as it holds ecological, silvicultural, and economic implications to the final product. Therefore, this study set out to assess the influence of spacing on the initial growth and production variables of hybrid clones of Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake x Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden planted in a Nelder (fan-shaped) design. Plant densities ranged from 0.50 m² to 41.25 m² in area-per-plant. Variables such as total height, diameter, and volume were observed at 16, 24, and 36 months. A descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and cluster analysis of averages were used to evaluate the effect of spacing on the variables in question. Different spacings were found to exert significant influences on growth in height, diameter, and volume.