Polímeros de hidrogéis com água de reúso e de abastecimento no desenvolvimento de mudas de espécies arbóreas da floresta estacional semidecidual

Abstract

The seasonal semideciduous forests from southeastern Brazil have high plant species richness, but have been strongly affected by human interferences, which let them very degraded: nowadays they are represented by small isolated fragments, immersed in a landscape dominated by agriculture and large urban centers. In this sense, the ecology of restoration arises in order to facilitate, accelerate and direct the processes of secondary succession to manage such areas, considering the knowledge about theoretical concepts that aim to review the effectiveness of natural ecosystem management techniques and practices. In such a perspective, we aimed in this experiment to test the following question: During de production of seedlings of the native forest tree species, Ceiba speciosa (Malvaceae) and Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae), different dilutions of hydrogel associated to irrigation with reused water, could improve their development? To answer this question, we selected three treatments (1g, 4g and 8g of hydrogel), beyond the witness (no hydrogel). The seedlings of both species were irrigated during one month with water reused and water supply. After this period, we estimated the growth of seedlings: roots, height and diameter. We used ANOVA (p = 0.001), and Tukey s test to verify significative differences between the mean of the treatments. We found significative differences in both height and diameter growth from 4g of hydrogel as to C. speciosa as H. heptaphyllus. In relation to the growth of root system of both tree species, the mean of superficial root area differed significantly from 4g of hydrogel when compared to the witness, confirming our initial assumption that the roots would grow in a lower proportion of area because they are in their hydric comfort zone. With such results added to theoretical knowledge in the ecology of restoration, the association of hydrogels with reused water comes to stand up for the sustainable use of water in the irrigation of native seedlings.