The effect of the flooding on the initial growth of plants of Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F. Blake, guapuruvu

Abstract

The characteristic vegetation of riparian forest shows adapted, tolerants or indifferent species to soaked soil, hence temporary or continuous floods are common in the blanks of water bodies. This work intented to analyse the effect of the flooding on the initial growth of plants of Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F. Blake (guapuruvu) and then evaluate the possibility to use this specie in programs to recover riparian forests. For this, the plants remained in simulated flooding conditions for three months and then were retreated and remained for two more months in soil, in field capacity. 120 plants were used, divided in four treatments that were included: flood with running water (AC), flood with still water (AP), soil in field capacity (CC) and a daily watering (C). They were monthly measured for height of aerial part, diameter of the stem and, in the begging and end of the experiment, the dry weight of the roots, of the aerial part and the ratio root/aerial. The data obtained showed that the plants exposed to AC condition suffered a growth inhibition of aerial parts. When the result of the dry weight of aerial parts and roots separated were compared, the last ones increased in plants of all treatments, while the aerial part grew significantly only in plants that were submitted to AC, AP and C treatments. The determination of root/ aerial part ratio demonstrated that plants exposed to AP and C treatments had their roots more developed than their aerials parts. These information lead us to the conclusion that the studied species have characteristics that do not allow its use in revegetation of riparian forests.