AVALIAÇÃO DO DESEMPENHO DE ALGUNS CLONES DE SERINGUEIRA PARA PRODUÇÃO DE MADEIRA

The rubber tree was originally introduced in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, with a view to exploiting natural latex as the main source of income. However, there are some alternatives that may be viable for properties looking to diversify agricultural production. In some Asian countries, timber extraction, seed production for vegetable oil extraction and honey production have been commercially exploited. The exploration of wood has been the most important alternative, extracted when the productive period of the trees ends (25 - 30 years). Rubber tree wood can be used in the furniture industry and in the manufacture of doors, windows and other household items. At the end of their productive life, when it is necessary to replant the area, as the exploitation of latex is no longer viable, the trees have a circumference of 100 - 110 cm (at 125 cm above the ground), being suitable for cutting approximately 300 to 400 trees/ha, with a production of 1 m3 of wood/tree. However, there are some peculiarities in rubber tree wood that should be known. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the wood productive potential of rubber tree clones, as well as the relationship between the rootstocks and the clones in characteristics such as total height, marketable height, DBH (diameter at breast height) and marketable volume of wood. The experiment was carried out at APTA Regional in Pindorama, State of São Paulo, Brazil and the experimental design used was randomized blocks with split plots, with 6 treatments (rootstocks), 6 subtreatments (clones), four replications and 20 plants/plot, with 6 plants useful. The results show that the clone PB 235 is the best for the characteristic total height and commercial height and that the rootstocks RRIM 701, GT-1, PB235 and IAN 873 are the best for the characteristic total height. There was interaction between the different clones and rootstocks tested in terms of total height. Clones PB 235, RRIM 600 and PR 107 are the best for the DAP trait. The rootstocks PB 235, GT-1, IAN 873 and RRIM 701 are the best for the DAP characteristic. Keywords: Hevea brasiliensis. Diameter. Height.