Silvicultural treatments in seedlings of Allophylus edulis (A. St.-Hil., Cambess. & A. Juss.) Radlk. for urban street trees

Abstract

The Brazilian urban forestry is generally consisted of exotic species mainly due to the lack of knowledge about native species in urban areas and their seedlings production. The aim of this work was to evaluate the Allophylus edulis’ seedling production applying silvicultural treatments to obtain seedlings with suitable features for urban forestry. The following treatments were applied on the seedlings: TO = witness with no pruning, T1 = pruning on the first month (experiment settling), T2 = pruning after three months of experiment settling, T3 = pruning after six months and T4 = pruning after nine months. The analyzed variables were: total height growth and collar diameter, fork height and recoppicing number. The pruning caused a greater growth in height but it did not alter the diameter growth. The evaluations done in fall and winter showed a lesser growth. After the pruning, lateral coppicing was observed. There was no difference between the successive pruning and the only one pruning. It is suggested, for practical reasons, successive pruning each nine months for Allophylus edulis.