Litter under Potential Eucalypts Genotype Stands in Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Kristiana Fiorentin dos Santos *
Department of Forest Engineering, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Mauro Valdir Schumacher
Department of Forest Engineering, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Aline Aparecida Ludvichak
Department of Forest Engineering, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Tulio Barroso Queiroz
Department of Forest Engineering, Sao Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" – UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Elias Frank de Araújo
Celulose Riograndense. St. São Geraldo, 1680 - Ermo, Guaíba, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The objective of the study was to quantify the litter in different genotypes of eucalypts stands at 49-months-old, located in Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Areas of 720 m² were demarcated for each genotype. In each area, 15 samples were randomly collected. The litter ranged from 4.51 to 10.77 Mg ha-1, highlighting the E. dunnii and the hybrid of E. urophylla x E. globulus with the lowest and largest accumulation, respectively. The leaves corresponded, on average, between 48.56% and 73.03% of the total litter. The differentiation between the genotypes occurred as to the accumulated litter.
Keywords: Litter, leaves, Eucalyptus genotypes stands, sustainability