Resumo

GARCIA, J.; SARMIENTO, M.; CARDONA, G.  e  SANCHEZ UGALDE, R.. Operating yields and pruning costs in Prosopis alba plantations. Quebracho (Santiago del Estero) [online]. 2022, vol.30, n.1, pp.38-49.  Epub 01-Set-2022. ISSN 0328-0543.

Forest pruning is a practice necessary to obtain wood of quality, free of knots and of greater value in the market. It should be carried out in several stages using appropriate techniques and tools. The province of Santiago del Estero has almost 3.000 hectares planted with algarrobo blanco (Prosopis alba), most of which lack forestry management. The objective of this work is to evaluate the operating yields and pruning costs in forest plantations of different ages. The sample comprised 3 producers with plots located in the Robles and Loreto Departments of the province of Santiago del Estero. The field work allowed to record the operative times of the pruning practices with different tools, as well as to estimate the costs. The study shows that the first formation pruning requires 0.32 min.tree-1, the second conduction pruning requires 0.81 min.tree-1 and the third pruning 1.21 min.tree- 1. Likewise, pruning yields per man were: 1.25 ha. journal-1 for the first pruning; 0.66 ha.journal-1 for the second pruning, and 0.25 ha.journal-1 for the 3rd pruning.It is concluded that the species Algarrobo blanco (Prosopis alba) requires timely forestry training to guarantee a good quality of wood and reduce execution costs.

Palavras-chave : silvicultural treatment; native species; chainsaw; wood of quality; pruning.