Abstract

BORGES-GOMEZ, Lizette et al. Soils used for habanero chili production in Yucatán: predominant physical and chemical characteristics. Agrociencia [online]. 2014, vol.48, n.4, pp.347-359. ISSN 2521-9766.

In 2010, the certificate of origin for habanero chili (Capsicum chínense Jacq.) was obtained for the Yucatán Peninsula, where the state of Yucatán is the principal producer. The characteristics of habanero chili are flavor, aroma, pungency, color and shelf life due to the weather, soil and location conditions in the region. Soil characteristics in the state of Yucatán are not well-known and it is a factor that confers distinctive features to the habanero chili; therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze those soils physically and chemically. Twenty-eight laboratory tests were performed on samples from 24 soils and the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics (central tendency and dispersion). The CV was high (>37 %) in 18 of the 28 tests and in 10 the CV was 4 to 37 %. At least 50 % of the soils are silt loam, with low apparent density (0.58-0.82 g cm^-3), high porosity (71-74 %), from neutral to moderately alkaline, very slightly saline, and very high OM contents (>6 %). Of the soils, 54 % are rich in N (>0.25 %), 67 % in P (>11 mg kg^-1) and 92 % in K (>0.6 cmol₍₊₎100 g^-1); in 88 % the CIC is high to very high (25-52 meq 100 g^-1), 100 % are high in Ca (>10 cmol₍₊₎ kg^-1) and 75 % are medium to high in Mg (1.3-5.5 cmol₍₊₎ kg^-1). More than 60 %> are marginal in Fe (<2.5 mg kg^-1) and Zn (<0.2 mg kg^-1), although adequate in Cu and Mn (>2 and >1.0 mg kg^-1, respectively). The soils that confer particular distinctive features to habanero chili in the state of Yucatán are highly heterogeneous in their physical and chemical characteristics.

Keywords : Capsicum chinense Jacq.; physical and chemical analysis of soils.

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