BEHAVIOR OF NATIVE AND EXOTIC WOOD SPECIES CULTIVATED ON ULTISOLS SOILS IN VERAGUAS

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the adaptability and behavior of two native and two exotic species in ultisols soils. The trial was carried at the Experimental Farm in Calabacito. A completely randomized block design with four replicates was used. The native species used were Dipterex panamensis and Terminalia amazonia, and the exotic ones were Tectona grandis and Pinus caribaea. During the five years of the study, it was fertilized with a mixture of phosphate rock (30% de P₂O₅), commercial organic fertilizer and complete fertilizer 12-24-12. The variables analyzed were: height growth  and diameter at breast height, organic matter, effective cation exchange capacity, percentage of aluminum saturation. To analyze the data, we used the analysis of variance and the means were separated using Duncan's multiple range test and mean comparison by Duncan. For the evaluation period, during 2010-2014, the largest mean annual increase in heigth and diameter at chest heigth (1,30 m) was for Tectona grandis, with values of 126,65 cm year^-1 and 1,05 cm year^-1 respectively. In one year of growth (2013-2014), the specie with the highest value for annual increase in heigth and diameter at chest heigth was Tectona grandis with 125,3 cm year^-1and 1,50 cm year^-1. It was observed that were significant differences in the soil variables of the beginning with respect to the fifth year; but there was not significant differences between treatments. The exotic species with the best behavior was T. grandis and among the native species was T. amazonia.