It was evaluated in this study the effects of different combinations of substrates on the morphologic and physiological characteristcs related to the quality of Eucalyptus urophylla seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a a forest nursery on the sun, in which seedlings were produced in 54 cc tubes and irrigated by micron aspersion. It was used a complete random experimental design with 12 treatments and four replicates. Treatments were based on the following combinations of substrate: two commercial substrates (Vivatto Slim Plus and Mecplant), manure, coconut bark powder, vermiculite, and a mixture substrate used by a Forest Company. Osmocote, a mineral fertilizer which has a controlled NPK supply, was added into all treatments. The following characteristics were evaluated: root regeneration potential (RRP); total seedling growth (TSG); growth speed index (GSI), Dickson quality index (IQD), and SPAD index. Overall, the best results were obtained in treatments with coconut bark powder and manure. Concerning seedling quality, IQD values were almost always positively associated to RRP, except the 100% Vivatto Slim Plus substrates which showed lower RRP. The highest means of SPAD indexes were obtained from the combination of 40% manure, 20% coconut bark, and 40% vermiculite. The combination of 70% manure and 30% coconut bark powder provided seedlings production with the highest values of RRP, which presented superior quality than the other substrates combination, based on the evaluated characteristics.
Eucalyptus; Seedling quality; Physiological characteristics
