CHARCOAL AS AMENDMENT TO SUBSTRATE OF SEEDLINGS OF Tachigali vulgaris L.G. Silva & H.C. Lima

Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a efici\ueancia de carv\ue3o vegetal pirog\ueanico como condicionante de substrato para o desenvolvimento de mudas florestais de alto vigor, testando-se o carvoeiro ( Tachigali vulgaris ) como esp\ue9cie representativa do Bioma Cerrado. Foram tomados como modelo de produtividade os solos de elevada capacidade de troca cati\uf4nica com Horizonte A antr\uf3pico da Amaz\uf4nia (Terras Pretas de \ucdndio), ricos em carbono pirog\ueanico derivado de carv\ue3o vegetal. O experimento foi realizado no viveiro da Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, no munic\uedpio de Nova Xavantina-MT. Foram utilizadas quatro concentra\ue7\uf5es de carv\ue3o de eucalipto ( Eucalyptus sp.) com 5; 12,5; 25 e 50% do volume total do substrato base e 0% como testemunha. Foi avaliada a porcentagem de emerg\ueancia no in\uedcio do experimento. Durante oito meses, a cada 30 dias, foi contado o n\ufamero de folhas e medida a altura total das mudas. No oitavo m\ueas foi medido o di\ue2metro do coleto e determinada \ue0 massa seca da raiz e da parte a\ue9rea. Os tratamentos e a testemunha apresentaram emerg\ueancia superior a 80%, n\ue3o havendo influ\ueancia do carv\ue3o. Entretanto, o carv\ue3o vegetal incrementou significativamente a altura das mudas, o n\ufamero de folhas, o di\ue2metro do coleto e a massa seca radicular e da parte a\ue9rea, o que ficou evidenciado pela forte correla\ue7\ue3o positiva com as concentra\ue7\uf5es de carv\ue3o. Portanto, o carv\ue3o vegetal pirog\ueanico \ue9 uma alternativa vi\ue1vel como condicionante de origem biol\uf3gica do substrato para a produ\ue7\ue3o de mudas potencialmente mais resistentes, requerimento importante para plantios em campo sob condi\ue7\uf5es mais severas, como na recupera\ue7\ue3o de \ue1reas degradadas no Bioma Cerrado.The objective of the present study was to investigate the efficiency of charcoal as amendment to the substrate used for high vigor of growing seedlings, testing Tachigali vulgaris as representative species of the 'Cerrado' Biome. Amazonian dark earth soil (Terra Preta de \ucdndio), enriched by pyrogenic carbon and available nutrients were taken as model example. The experiment was carried out in the nursery of the State University of Mato Grosso, in Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The treatments consisted of 0, 5, 12.5, 25 and 50% (v/v) of Eucalyptus sp. charcoal mixed with the standard substrate. Seed germination was evaluated at the beginning of the experiment, as well as the height and stem diameter of seedlings and the number of leaves was measured every 30 days during eight months. At the end of the 8th month, the stem diameter and the dry matter of the seedling biomass (aerial part and root system) were measured. The germination of the seeds was above 80% in all treatments and no differences were observed between them. The charcoal, however, had significant effect on the other parameters determined, all of them showing significant and positive correlation with the charcoal doses. Consequently, charcoal is a good option as biological amendment to the substrate for the creation of healthy and more resistant seedlings of Tachigali vulgaris, an important requirement for adverse field conditions, such as restoration of degraded areas in the Cerrado Biome