Coberturas de solo como estratégia de manejo inicial para formação de sistemas agroflorestais no município de Glória de Dourados – MS

Abstract

Environmental patterns have been significantly modified as a result of climate change, intensified by high emissions of greenhouse gases from industrial processes, urban lifestyles, and inappropriate land use. Unlike natural climate variations, which occur slowly and allow ecosystems to adapt, changes resulting from anthropogenic activities have occurred rapidly and intensely, causing environmental impacts on a global scale, including in agriculture, forestry, and water resources. In tropical forests, deforestation for land use, especially for agricultural and livestock activities, constitutes one of the main factors driving climate change. In the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the expansion of agriculture and monocultures has intensified deforestation, contributing to high carbon emissions and aggravating regional environmental challenges. This scenario imposes challenges for ecological restoration, requiring adaptive strategies that integrate climatic limits, ecological vulnerability, and the functionality of restored ecosystems, while reconciling production and conservation. In this context, agroforestry systems emerge as an efficient alternative for integrating environmental restoration and agricultural production. Based on species diversity and the principles of ecological succession, these systems optimize land use, contribute to carbon sequestration, increase soil organic matter, and strengthen resilience to climate change. Thus, this study evaluated the initial development of eleven plant species under different types of soil cover (Napier grass, gliricidia, and eucalyptus), compared with a control treatment, in an area undergoing conversion to an agroforestry system in the municipality of Glória de Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 352 seedlings (88 seedlings of each species) were randomly distributed at a spacing of 5 × 5 m. The mulches were applied in a 1 × 1 m area around each seedling. Plant development was monitored quarterly for 12 months through measurements of height, stem diameter, and survival assessment. The data were subjected to statistical analyses (ANOVA or KruskalWallis test) and to the calculation of the relative growth rate (RGR). Mortality varied among treatments, with a significant difference observed only between the eucalyptus and Napier grass mulches. Survival ranged from 40.63% (coconut) to 96.88% (acerola and white ipê), with high mortality observed for coconut seedlings (59.38%). No significant differences were found for growth variables. The RGR was higher for stem diameter (0.78 mm·mm⁻¹·year⁻¹) than for height (0.32 cm·cm⁻¹·year⁻¹). It was concluded that mulching plays an important role in maintaining seedling survival, although no significant effect on growth was observed during the 12-month period. Considering the advancement of environmental degradation and the limitations of conventional production systems, this study is expected to contribute to the understanding of practices that favor seedling establishment.