Nutrient use efficiency in Australian cedar clones

Forests planted with superior genotypes for nutrient use efficiency can warrant the maintenance of the forest production sustainability. This work intended to evaluate, in nutrient solution, the growth, biomass production and the efficiency of absorption, translocation and utilization of macronutrients by Australian cedar clones. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse and plant growth chamber by utilizing four Australian cedar clones coming from Bela Vista Florestal Company: clone 1 - HE, clone 2 - XF, clone 3 - XD and clone 4 - XE. The design was completely randomized with four treatments and five replications. The genotypes surveyed presented differences in growth, biomass production and the efficiency of absorption, translocation and utilization of macronutrients. As for nutrient use efficiency, the clones can be categorized considering the following order: clone 1 - HE > clone 4 - XE > clone 3 - XD > clone 2 - XF. HE clone 1 stood out as the most efficient in the absorption and utilization of N, P, K, Ca and S, reflecting into increased vegetative growth and biomass production.