Evaluación de diferentes sustratos para la producción de plantines de caoba en la fase de vivero en el cantón Marcabelí

Abstract

Honduran mahogany is a forest species that belongs to the Meliaceae family, its origin is from Central America, reaching South America. It is considered an important timber species because its wood is hard and has a characteristic reddish color that is highly valued both in the national and international markets. It should be noted that it also has medicinal and handicraft uses. In Ecuador, the largest production is found in the Amazon region and to a lesser extent in the coastal region. Among its botanical characteristics is the great height that can reach up to 50 meters and a stem diameter that exceeds 2 meters. Currently, mahogany has been threatened by indiscriminate logging. The research was carried out in the cantón Marcabelí ; province of El Oro, in order to verify the response of growth and development of the Honduran mahogany forest species to the use of four different substrates in the nursery stage. To evaluate the results in the different substrates used, a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications was applied. The designated treatments were T1. Black soil 100%, T2. Black soil 60%, River sand 30%, Worm castings 10%, T3. Black soil 30%, River sand 60%, Earthworm humus 10%, T4. Black soil 40%, river sand 40%, earthworm humus 20%. The following variables were observed: germination percentage, number of leaves, height and stem diameter. A one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on each of the variables to verify whether or not there were significant statistical differences, using tests of ranges and multiple comparisons (post-hoc tests) and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test when the variable does not follow a normal distribution. The results obtained for the germination percentage show that the substrate with the highest germination percentage is 100% black soil. In the variable stem height, the substrate mixture Black soil 40%, River sand 40%, Worm castings 20%, obtained the greatest length at 46, 56 and 66 days after sowing, the substrate Black soil 100% obtained the greatest height at 76 days, as for the diameter of the stem, it was greater in the substrate Black soil 100% at 46 and 56 days, while at 66 and 76 days the substrate mixture in which the diameter was greater was Black soil 40%, River sand 40%, Worm castings 20%. The substrate mixture in which a greater number of leaves was obtained at 46,66 and 76 days was the substrate mixture corresponding to Black soil 40%, River sand 40%, Worm castings 20%, presenting in substrate Black soil 100% the greatest number of leaves at 56 days after sowing, so it is concluded that the substrate in which a greater percentage of germination is achieved is using Black soil 100%, and to achieve greater growth and development of mahogany seedlings the substrate that presented better results was: Black soil 40%, River sand 40%, Earthworm humus 20%.