REFLECTIVE MATERIALS AND SEEDS FROM DIFFERENT PLANT POSITIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF ACHACHAIRU SEEDLINGS

The plant environment in the production of Achachairu (Garcinia humilis) seedlings aims to obtain quality plants for orchards' formation. The present study aimed to evaluate reflective materials on benches and fruit seeds harvested from different plant positions to produce Achachairu seedlings. The reflective materials used under the cultivation benches were aluminum foil, "fake sequin" fabric, mirror, and tetra pak®. The fruit collection positions in the plants were at the top, median and bottom. The largest seedlings were obtained on the bench with reflective material of Tetra Pak®; however, in this material, there was a greater relationship between the height and diameter of the seedlings' neck, which is not desired for quality seedlings. The largest number of sheets was observed on the benches with reflective material of Tetra Pak® and "false sequin" fabric. The lowest dry masses of the root system and the lowest Dickson quality indexes were obtained from seedlings grown on the bench with reflective mirror material, forming lesser quality seedlings. The fruit collection place in the matrix plant did not influence the seedlings' quality. The use of reflective material on the bench is not recommended for the cultivation of Achachairu seedlings