Abstract

MUNOZ FLORES, H. Jesús et al. Assessment of a plantation with two tropical species cultivated in different types of containers. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2013, vol.4, n.18, pp.28-43. ISSN 2007-1132.

The establishment of forest plantations has been promoted in order to counter deforestation in Mexico. However, these do not reach the age of harvest, since their survival rate one year after their establishment is merely 35%. The objective of this research was to assess the in-field survival and growth of Tabebuia rosea and Enterolobium cyclocarpum trees propagated in coconut fiber containers and grown in two types of compressed polystyrene trays. The plantation was established in August, 2008, in the municipality of Nuevo Urecho, Michoacan, on chromic clay soil, in a warm humid climate and at an altitude of 465 m. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six treatments and three replications; each experimental unit consisted of 25 plants, with a total of 450 plants per treatment. One year after planting, plants grown in coconut fiber containers had higher survival rates than those propagated in polystyrene trays. E. cyclocarpum showed higher rates of growth in height (231.3, 190.2 and 175.7 cm) than T. rosea (132.2, 113.4, and 95.4 cm), regardless of the type of container in which they were grown. E. cyclocarpum plants grown in coconut fiber containers achieved significantly higher growth (231.3 cm) than those cultivated in polystyrene trays. Although no significant differences were found for T. rosea trees, those grown in coconut fiber containers attained larger diameters (25.1 mm). The coconut fiber containers posed no health problems or limitations of root expansion.

Keywords : Coconut fiber; containers; Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb.; forest plantations; plant size; Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC.

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