Condução e manejo de miniestacas de Trema micranthum (L.) Blume

Abstract

The production of seedlings of native forest species is essential to meet the increasing demand for ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation. In this context, vegetative propagation techniques have been widely investigated as an alternative to seed-based propagation, especially for species that exhibit germination limitations. Among the species of interest, Trema micranthum (L.) Blume stands out as a fast-growing pioneer species, characterized by a low germination rate from seeds, around 35%. In addition, the species shows potential for medicinal use, associated with the presence of compounds such as cannabidiol without THC in its flowers and fruits, which broadens its scientific and economic relevance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and rooting of mini-cuttings of Trema micranthum in a clonal mini-garden system, considering the influence of climatic factors, types of mini-cuttings, spacing between ministumps, and seedling quality indicators over time. The study was conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba campus, between 2023 and 2025, in a semi-hydroponic system under controlled fertigation, with two spacing arrangements between ministumps (0.10 × 0.10 m and 0.10 × 0.20 m) and successive collections of mini-cuttings. Linear and multiple regression analyses with climatic variables, Spearman correlation, time series models (ARIMA/ARIMAX), and non-parametric tests were applied to compare treatments. The results indicate temporal variation in productivity associated with the age of ministumps and temperature, while rooting did not decrease with ministump age. No statistically significant differences were observed between spacings in terms of productivity and rooting of mini-cuttings. It was observed that the average productivity was 4.1 mini-cuttings per ministump per month in the wider spacing and 3.2 mini-cuttings per ministump per month in the 0.10 × 0.10 m spacing, with rooting percentages exceeding 50% in all collections performed. Variability among ministumps in terms of average mini-cutting productivity was also verified, allowing the identification of superior and inferior individuals. It is concluded that proper management of the clonal mini-garden and the selection of productive individuals are efficient strategies to optimize the clonal production of T. micranthum, expanding its use in forest restoration and future applications of economic interest.