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Cultivation of eucalyptus trees boosts amount of organic material in the soil - 06.17.03
The practice of eucalyptus cultivation is capable of increasing the levels of organic materials in the soil up to 74.52% - or 25.6 grams per kilo of soil. That was the conclusion revealed in a study conducted by Cássia Verônica de Almeida Moruz, a researcher at the State University of Santa Cruz (UESC), in Ilhéus, Bahia. The organic material enriches the soil and improves its physical and chemical qualities, making it more productive - including for other crops. The research project is being run on land owned by Veracel Celulose in Eunápolis.
The areas chosen for the collection of material previously had been occupied by pastures, papaya and eucalyptus plantations. The study began in 2000 and a partial analysis of the results was recently presented during the defense of Ms. Moruz's Masters dissertation, entitled "Ecological Aspects of Different Soil Uses in Eucalyptus Stands in the Extreme South of Bahia."
"The objective of this research was to study the influence of different soil uses that precede the forming of eucalyptus plantations, seeking to make a contribution to the incorporation of biodiversity concepts in planning the sustainable use of natural resources in silvicultural plantations of this species," she said. Observations will be made on the land in question until 2008. "However, the tendency is that the higher levels of organic material will remain stable after the increase that took place during the first three years," according to Veracel forest engineer Danilo Sette de Almeida.
Almeida added that eucalyptus plantations generate seven tons of organic material per hectare/year. The percentages of organic material, as well as the concentration of calcium, potassium and magnesium nutrients, were further enhanced after through tree cutting and debarking processes in the field carried out in accordance with the harvest system adopted by Veracel.