Viability of Hydrogel in cerrado sensu stricto Revegetation with Native Species

ABSTRACT We determined the cost and effect of a water retention polymer (hydrogel) in reducing mortality of planted seedlings of six Cerrado forest species in the restoration of a degraded area in Planaltina county – Brazilian Federal District. We tested four treatments (hydrogel use and no hydrogel use in dry and rainy seasons) in a randomized block design, with four blocks and three replications per block. ANOVA and Tukey’s test revealed that hydrogel significantly reduced mortality in the dry season, and had no significant effect in the rainy season. Regarding the cost of dead seedlings replacement, the treatment without hydrogel was more expensive than the one with hydrogel in the dry season. Planting at the end of the dry season using hydrogel is a viable alternative in reducing mortality of seedlings via mitigation of water stress effects after transplantation, without significant additional cost to recovery programs of Cerrado degraded areas.