SEEDLING DENSITY ON THE MORPHOLOGICAL QUALITY OF Toona ciliata M. Roem. (MELIACEAE)

The success of forest planting depends on the quality of the seedlings produced, aiming to increase stand productivity by refining the techniques used. Researchers have sought to define the best methodologies for producing forest seedlings with high survival rates and strong performance after planting. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of different seedling densities in the tray on the morphological quality of Toona ciliata over time. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design. The seedlings were subjected to high- and medium-density treatments in trays, corresponding to 494 and 247 plants m-2, respectively, until 210 days after emergence. Morphological characteristics, height, stem diameter, leaf area, root dry weight, stem dry weight, leaf dry weight, total dry weight, and Dickson quality index were evaluated. Tray high-density provided higher values for the morphological variables height and leaf area in Toona ciliata seedlings in a greenhouse. For medium-density, the highest values were stem diameter, root dry weight, and Dickson quality index. The root system of the seedlings tends to grow over time, reducing the shoot proportion. The morphological variables are highly correlated with each other in a direct, proportional manner, with total dry weight and the Dickson quality index showing the highest correlations.