Effect of soil and nutrient solution on the early Growth of <I>Qualea cordata</I> Spreng. (Vochysiaceae), a tree species from the cerrado

Abstract

Seedlings were grown in cerrado soil (with and without nutrient solution) and forest soil. Growth (as dry matter, leafarea and length) was constant in forest soil grown-seedlings; a reduction on growth between week 8 (or 9) and week 12 was noted in seedlings growing in cerrado soil, even when nutrient solution was added. The ratio root/tops was higher than 1 in terms of length and lower than 1 in terms of dry matter. Nutrient solution promoted growth of tops in relation to roots, but this was not observed in plants growing in forest soil. Both relative growth rate and net assimilation rate decreased during the experiment; both rates were reduced in seedlings growing inforest soil in relation to the ones in cerrado soil. The levels of proteins and carbohydrates were higher in roots than in tops in plants grown in cerrado soil. Leaf tissue of Q. cordata presented a lower leveI of RUBISCO in relation to Esenbeckia leiocarpa Engl, a tipical forest species.