Development of Copaifera langsdorffii in a savanna regeneration area under Melinis minutiflora influence

Abstract

. Invasive species can interfere in the development of neighboring plants through production and release of chemicals into the environment. This study aimed to test the interference of Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv. on the germination and early growth of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. We established two experimental groups (seeds and young plants), which were submitted to two treatments in the field: presence or absence of grass. Ten circular plots with four meters of diameter were demarcated. Each group of five was subjected to one treatment on field, with and without grass influence. In the control, all the grass was abolished and in the remaining we made halos of 2 meters of diameter with grass in the center. The height of the plants and emergence seeds of de C. langsdorffii were monitored at every 20 days, during six months. The averages of emergency were compared using Test T and the size of plants used the de Mann-Whitney Test. The average of emergency of the control plots was 0.412 (±0.85) and the circles of grass was 0,529 (± 1.34). The Mann Whitney test showed 72% of similarity between the treatments. The comparison between the two treatments showed no significant differences.