Abstract

VILLANUEVA-CASTILLO, Dulce María et al. Morphometric variation in seeds of wild agaves from Oaxaca. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2021, vol.12, n.1, pp.155-162.  Epub Feb 21, 2022. ISSN 2007-0934.  https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v12i1.2426.

Agaves are plants that present adaptations in their morphology and proliferate in difficult environments, but at present the production of mezcal assemblages has caused a drastic decrease in wild populations. Seeds have a very important function in the biological cycle of plants, through them populations persist, disperse and regenerate. The geometric morphometry in the agave seeds allows us to delve into the biological characteristics of the seeds such as shape and size and whether this variation may be causing some characteristic of the locality. The objective was to analyze at the population level the morphological variation in agave seeds, at the interspecific and intangible levels, to propose sustainable and commercial management strategies. Between December 2017 to July 2018, capsules of Agave angustifolia Haw (espadin), A. karwinskii Zucc (cirial or cuishe), A. rhodacantha Trel (Mexican) and A. potatorum Zuc (tobalá) were collected in different locations in Oaxaca. The seeds were photographed (100 for each species) and were processed in the Makefan6, TpsUtil and TpsDig programs. The data were analyzed in the MorphoJ program. The differences found (p< 0.05) were mainly in size, and to a lesser extent in shape. Greater variation was found in the micropillary zone and the basal zone of the seeds. The differences found in the shape of the seeds regardless of the localities where they develop may be due to genetic factors and habitat pressures. The agave seeds have a lacrimal structure.

Keywords : Agave potatorum; morphometry; size.

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