Technical feasibility of Eremanthus erythropappus (dc.) Macleish coppice: critical factor for sustainable management

Abstract

Background: this study aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of simple coppice system, in a planted stand of the native arboreal species Eremanthus erythropappus (DC.) MacLeish (candeia), according to different moments of soil scarification. The experiment is located in Baependi – MG (Brazil), where the mean altitude is 1,165 m and it´s under mild mesothermal climate. The first cycle was harvested under a clear-cutting system at 8 years after planting, with manual soil scarification and exposure of roots around the harvested trees stumps, at 5, 6, 7, and 8 weeks after cutting, i.e., four treatments with four repetitions of 50m2 plots each. In the first months, adventitious buds sprouting from the roots have been observed inside and outside the perimeter around stumps. The area remained fenced, without thinning or application of fertilizers and, until the third year, the selective clearing was done to eliminate weed competition. Six years after the treatment, measurements of diameter at 1.30 m height (DBH), the height of the sprouts, and the circumference at soil height (CSH) of stumps were taken. Results: after six years, the regenerated site under simple coppice system presented a density of established plants 216% higher than the harvested site using a high forest system (first cycle), but with only 4.3% of the commercial volume. The correlation between the density of sprouts and the density of stumps indicated that initial plant density can influence the number of sprouts after harvest. Conclusion: it was verified the simple coppice system feasibility and that scarification technique can be applied up to eight weeks after tree cutting.