Ureia como fonte de nitrogênio na fisiologia e crescimento inicial de Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae)

The aim of this study was to determine how Guazuma ulmifolia seedlings respond to nitrogen doses, with urea as a nitrogen source (N). The seedlings were cultivated in a completely randomized design, which were subjected to five doses (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg dm - ³) of N. At 120 days of cultivation, biometric, physiological, biomass accumulation, allometric ratios, Dickson's quality index (IQD), content, accumulation and N efficiency use (NUE) in the aerial part of the seedlings. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. In addition, Pearson's correlation coefficient was also analyzed. The N doses significantly promoted (p≤0.05) the increase in the N content in the aerial part of the seedlings. On the other hand, there was a significant reduction in the N accumulation, of physiological variables, growth, biomass, IQD and NUE, which resulted in a negative correlation with the increasing N supply. Very high N doses, having as source the urea, were harmful to the seedlings of Guazuma ulmifolia . The doses between 20 and 38.8 mg dm - ³ of N, in general, were those that promoted the best results.