Evolution in Brazil of Eucalyptus clonal silviculture

Abstract

In the last years in Brazil there has been an increased interest in Eucalyptus clonal silviculture, mainly due to advantages in diseases control, reduced heterogeneity and increase in commercial plantations productivity. Clone usage has increased among large forestry companies, as well as small investors, including rural producers, due to a better perception of technology advances in last decades, such as processes of plus-tree selection and rescue, clonal evaluation, commercial cuttings production (cutting, minicutting and microcutting), as well as diverse new silvicultural treatments related to clonal forestry. This article focuses on main issues related to Eucalyptus clonal processes, as part of this tree species clonal silviculture.