Abstract

PRIETO RUIZ, José Ángel et al. Survival and growth of two forest species based on the initial morphology after planting. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2018, vol.9, n.47, pp.151-168. ISSN 2007-1132.  https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v9i47.182.

Successful reforestations depend on several factors; seedling quality is one of them, since it is decisive for its establishment after planting. The objective of this study was to assess of two morphological conditions of the seedlings, based on the height and diameter, the survival and the initial growth of Pinus cooperi and Pinus engelmannii, planted in Agua Zarca, Otinapa, Durango. The seedling distribution was carried out under an experimental design of random blocks, with four repetitions per treatment. 13 months after planting, Pinus engelmannii only exhibited significant differences (p<0.05) in survival and height, with the best results in the seedling with the high morphological condition; the differences between treatments in survival were of 50.0 %, while the difference in height was of 3.37 cm and 4.87mm in diameter. In Pinus cooperi, only the height variable showed significant differences (p<0.05), with a separation between values of 6.7 cm, while the difference in survival was 2.5 %, with more than 90 % survival in both qualities, and the differences in diameter were less than 1.0 mm. In all cases, the seedlings with the highest morphological attributes obtained the highest values. Regarding the survival between species, without considering the morphological condition of the seedlings, the final differences were of 51.2 %, with the best percentages for Pinus cooperi, the species that best adapted to the conditions of the planting site.

Keywords : Height; morphological attributes; diameter; Pinus engelmannii Carr.; Pinus cooperi Blanco; reforestations.