Distribuição espacial e profundidade efetiva das raízes de camu-camu com e sem cobertura vegetal morta

In South America, o camu-camu has been domesticated, however, for its cultivation there is still little technical information to guarantee its adaptability and productivity in places with a well-defined dry season. The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial distribution of the root system and determine the effective depth (EP) of roots in camu-camu plants with and without mulch (WM) in uplands conditions. In an orchard, 3 plants with 3, 5 and 7 years each were chosen at random. Then mulch composed of grass (Trachypogon plumosus) was placed on a plant of each age in the canopy projection. After 12 months, the volume and EP of the roots in the 3-year-old plants with mulch was 200 mm³ and 0.3 m, and without mulch it was 500 mm³ and 0.48 m, respectively. In 5-year-old plants it was 4000 mm³ and 0.43 m with mulch, and without mulch it was 6000 mm³ and 0.64 m; and in plants with 7 years old, the volume and PE of the roots with mulch were 12000 mm³ and 0.58 m, and without mulch of 10000 mm³ and 0.71 m, respectively. The effective depth equivalent to 80% of the root concentration was lower with the use of dead vegetation cover, which is very important for the camu-camu crop, as it allows the application of a more precise and efficient water layer through irrigation.