This work aimed to evaluate the effect of artificial pruning on wood quality of eucalypt clones, under an agrosylvopastoral system, owned by the Riacho of the Companhia Mineira de Metais Farm in Paracatu-MG, Brazil. The experiment was installed in December 1994 with the planting of seedlings of 3 clones of natural hybrids of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Dehnh. (code 06) and Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake (code 13 and 44), using a 10 m x 4 m spacing. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with 3 repetitions. The treatments were established in split plots, with the primary treatments constituted by the clones and the secondary treatments defined as: T1 - without pruning; T2 - pruning up to 2 m; T3 - pruning up to 4 m; T4 - pruning up to 6 m. For the evaluation of wood quality in the year of 2000, basic wood density, number and diameter of the knots, knottiness, number of pitch pockets and conicity of the trees were obtained. Basic wood density by tree presented significant variations among the clones and pruning heights. Basic density along the trunk presented a differentiated behavior among the clones and pruning heights. Number of knots and knottiness were affected by the pruning heights. Conicity and number of pitch pockets were not affected by the pruning heights, presenting a significant difference only among the clones.
Artificial pruning; wood quality of eucalypt clones; agrosylvopastoral system
