Performance and quality of wood in a clone of Eucalyptus in monoculture and silvipastoral system

Abstract

This work was carried out with the purpose to evaluate and compare the performance and the variations in the quality of the wood of eucalyptus trees planted in silvopastoral system and in monoculture. Data were collected from 13 trees sampled at the age of 36 months, selected according to confidence interval of the mean diameter at breast height (DBH) and according to the position of the trees in the planting strip in the silvopastoral system, with south, north and central-facing exposure slopes. The variables DBH, total height and commercial height, volume and conicity of the trunk, basic density and displacement of the pith were evaluated. Results led to the conclusion that trees in the silvopastoral system had higher DBH, lower overall height and increased conicity of the trunk than in monocultures. DBH did not vary according to the position in the planting strip, but trees with north-facing exposure were lower and more conic. Basic density and displacement of the pith were not influenced by cropping system.