Influence of biophysical and management factors on the growth of Cedrela odorata L. in association with coffee in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica

The study was realized in agroforestry (AF) systems of coffee associated with cedar (Cedrela odorata. L.) in the canton of Perez Zeledon, Province of San Jose, Costa Rica. There were 39 temporary sample plots of 1000 m(2), with the objective of evaluating the effect of the biophysical and management characteristics on the growth in diameter (DBH) and total height (HT) of the cedar of the two at 17 years of age. The growth of the species varied in the range of 2 to 3 cm year(-1) in Dbh and 1.6 to 2.2 m year(-1) in total height. The increasing altitude above sea level, a greater abundance of trees per hectare, increasing of the copper content in the soil and a higher frequency of annual chemical cleaning, had a negative effect of growth of cedar. Multiple regression models that explain the growth of the species were obtained (total volume and average annual increase of total volume) from biophysical variables. The optimum abundance of cedar trees per hectare corresponds to a range between 72 to 96 trees ha(-1) from inception to the final cycle. The species had a better developed at an altitude between 608 and 707 meters above sea level, on lower slopes to 21 % and soils with less content to 3.6 mg l(-1) Cu, 165 mg l(-1) of Fe, pH greater than 4.9 Mg and Ca-1 ratio greater than 4.1.