The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of chemical and mechanical weeding and pruning on the early growth of eucalyptus under the silvopastoral system, consisting of Eucalyptus saligna (clone 34039), spaced 9 x 3 m and Brachiaria brizantha. The treatments consisted of a 5 x 2 factorial, with five levels of pruning: 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% live crown and two types of eucalyptus crown, mechanical and chemical weeding. The following parameters were evaluated: Gain in height, diameter at ground level and canopy volume at 90, 180, 270 and 360 days after application (DAA), and at 640 DAA, growth in diameter and height, and stem dry matter. There were no significant differences for the parameters evaluated for the weeding methods. However, there was no effect for the intensity of pruning and time of evaluation. In all periods, the increase in the level of pruning caused a reduction in growth in height and diameter. At 90 DAA, 40% of the pruned plants showed a reduction in height growth of 69% and 87% for diameter, compared to plants not pruned, and, at 360 DAA, with this difference falling to 21.8 and 22.8% for height and diameter, respectively. At 640 DAA, indication of recovery of the pruned plants was observed but no negative effects of pruning intensity on the growth of eucalyptus were found. It was concluded that the type of weeding did not influence the early growth of eucalyptus and early pruning facilitates glyphosate application, but causes plant growth reduction.
agroforestry; weed competition; Glyphosate
