Resumen

HUERTA-ZAVALA, Jorge et al. Morphometric characterization of populations of the Agave angustifolia complex (Asparagaceae: Agavoideae) in the northern region of Guerrero, Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2025, n.59, pp.117-139.  Epub 29-Abr-2025. ISSN 1405-2768.  https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.59.7.

Within the Agave genus, the Agave angustifolia complex is one of the most important groups of plants from an economic and cultural point of view wherein more than 20 species have been described. However, there have been few studies that allow us to understand the taxonomic relationships of the group. The main objective of this study was to characterize wild and cultivated individuals from this complex using morphometric methods, identifying the characters that allow their correct identification, to contribute to the understanding of this group and enable the certification processes of agave production and mezcal. Between August 2016 and March 2023, 28 field trips were carried out and 172 specimens were collected from the northern region of Guerrero and a municipality in the central region. Data on 18 morphometric characters were evaluated for each specimen for subsequent selection and statistical analysis, using Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) where nine characters were used and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), in which 12 characters were used. One hundred six specimens of A. angustifolia var. angustifolia were taxonomically identified (61.63%), 41 specimens of A. angustifolia var. rubescens (23.84%) and 25 specimens of A. rhodacantha (14.53%), this last species turned out to be a new record for Guerrero. Traits such as leaf color, rosette height, number of leaves per plant, greatest width of the leaf, number of teeth on one side of the leaf margin, distance from the base of the terminal spine to the nearest tooth and width of the terminal spine, allowed the delimitation of the taxa studied, in addition to being used in the identification work of agaves, a necessary requirement for the agave-mezcal certification process and thereby giving added value to its products. The varieties of A. angustifolia presented overlaps in some specimens, which reflects the high phenotypic variability of both taxa. The ADL proved to be a useful statistical tool for understanding the phenotypic variables of the A. angustifolia complex. This type of studies must be complemented with edaphoclimatic information, altitudinal gradients, as well as agroecological and genetic data.

Palabras llave : conservation; mezcal; taxonomic complex.

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