Initial Silvicultural Performance of Pilocarpus microphyllus in Agroforestry systems in the Amazon

The Amazon region faces significant pressure from deforestation and cattle ranching, threatening the natural habitat of Pilocarpus microphyllus . This study evaluated the initial silvicultural performance of P. microphyllus under different treatments in agroforestry systems (AFS) in São Félix do Xingu, Pará, Brazil. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design in a 2 \times 6 factorial scheme with three replicates. Variables measured included collar diameter, seedling height, crown area, number of shoots, and mean branch length. Results indicated that the AFS presented distinct light regimes (17,445.5; 3,787.5; and 2,954.5 Lux). Significant differences were observed among systems, with AFS 1 (intermediate light) showing the best growth responses for all variables. A significant interaction between pruning and fertilization was found only for seedling height. In the absence of pruning, NPK doses of 175 g and 75 g produced the highest growth. Conversely, when pruning was applied, no significant differences were found among fertilization treatments, although the combination of 45 g NPK + 45 g MAP showed the best performance at 20 months. Pruning significantly enhanced the number of shoots and mean branch length from the 19 th month onward. Higher NPK doses were effective in increasing crown area. We recommend planting P. microphyllus in AFS with moderate solar radiation, combined with formative pruning and targeted fertilization (175 g NPK without pruning; 45 g NPK + 45 g MAP with pruning).