Resumen

RAMOS-ESCALANTE, Gilberto et al. Alometric equations for estimating biomass and carbon in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in the humid tropic of Chiapas, Mexico. Agrociencia [online]. 2018, vol.52, n.5, pp.671-683. ISSN 2521-9766.

The state of Chiapas, Mexico, has the climatic and soil potential for cultivation of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Currently, around 48 000 ha are planted with this species, representing a major carbon (C) sink. The objective of this study was to measure biomass and accumulated C in 12-year-old palms to generate the base line and methodology to permit predicting C fixation for this crop. Randomized destructive sampling was conducted on four plants per site. In three subsamples of stem and leaves, biomass, diameter at breast height (DBH), total height and number of leaves per plant were determined. In 20 subsamples of soil, root biomass was determined. Carbon content was estimated with the wet digestion technique of Walkley and Black. With the data, two alometric equations were generated to calculate biomass and a mathematical model in its linear expression for C, in which Y is the content of biomass or C, and X is the plant height. The concentration of C in stem, branches and root was 48.3, 48.1 and 48.2 %. The average C concentration per plant was 48.24 %. With the biomass and plant height, the model Y = 98.349X + 737.41 (R2 = 0.577) was obtained. To establish the variables of the predictive model of accumulated C per palm (CAP) in function of height, a procedure identical to the previous procedure was used, and CAP = 55.15X + 326.96 (R2 = 0.519). A larger number of field variables is necessary to obtain acceptable alometric equations (higher R2) for prediction of biomass and palm C stock. The methodology permitted determining biomass and C accumulated in the oil palm, thus establishing the bases for its study.

Palabras llave : Elaeis guineensis Jacq.; alometric equations; greenhouse effect gasses; carbon sink.

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