Stem form of Eucalyptus trees in plantations under different initial densities

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the spatial arrangement of planting on the stem form of eucalypt trees. Data used were from an experiment established in December 2002, in random blocks design (three blocks), with the spatial arrangements of 3,0 x 0,5; 3,0 x 1,0; 3,0 x 1,5; 3,0 x 2,0 and 3,0 x 3,0 m being tested. At eight years of age 180 trees were harvested and cubed. These data were used to adjust the taper models of Garay and Schoepfer. Model identity tests were applied on the fitted equations in order to verify the equivalence between the shapes of the boles. The Garay model is the most suitable to describe the taper of eucalypts in the evaluated spatial arrangements. The null hypothesis in the identity test of nonlinear models was accepted, indicating equality between the equations in the arrangements of 3,0 x 0,5 and 3,0 x 1,0 m. For a distance of 3,0 m between the rows; the greater the distance between plants the most conical shaped is the bole.