EVALUATION OF Eucalyptus CLONES GROWTH AND PRODUCTION UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION SCHEDULING

Abstract

The study was developed for identifying the characteristics of growth of six eucalyptus clones (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6), growing in plastic vases of diameter of 42 cm and height of 72 cm, with approximately 100 dm3 of size, in a way to support the selection of those precocious genetic materials to establish places with limited water availability in soil. Plants of the six clones were submitted to different levels of water deficit, when then the following growth characteristics were evaluated: diameter of the stem; height of the plants; foliate area; relation root/aerial part; the leaves, stem and branches, roots and total dry matter. It was also evaluated the capacity of retaking of growth of the plants after being submitted to the water deficiency in the vases. The clone 3, followed by clones 5 and 6, showed to be more sensitive to water deficiency in the vases. Contrarily, clones 1, 2, 4 were the most tolerant to the water deficit effects, probably because they presented a larger accumulation of matter dry total matter under this management. However, the clones 1 and 2 presented high capacity of growth retaking after being submitted to water deficit. Under water deficit, clone 3 presented a larger reduction in foliate area in comparison to other clones, while clone 5 presented the smallest relation root/aerial part. The clones 2 and 4 obtained larger height in the level of water management without and under water deficit, while for diameter growth, no clone differed statistically from one another.