Effects of pruning on Pinus elliottii

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of pruning intensity on the growth and shape of Pinus elliottii Engelm. The experiment was set up in Piratini, Rio Grande do Sul, in causalized blocks with four replications and four pruning treatments: 0%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the total height of the trees. The growth analysis as a function of pruning intensity and the SAS programs used are presented. The results at 15 years of age showed that there was no significant influence of pruning on average height, dominant height and mortality; however, diameter and volume were influenced by pruning, with the more intense the operation, the greater the reduction. The shape of the trees tended to change from neiloid to paraboloid as the intensity of pruning increased.