TERRITORIAL ASSESSMENT FOR AVOCADO CULTIVATION (Persea americana Mill. cv. Hass) IN THE REGION OF PICO DE TANCÍTARO, MICHOACAN, MEXICO.

Abstract

The region of Pico Tancitaro, with 67 456 ha, is one of the areas with the highest production of avocado (Persea americana Mill. cv. Hass) in Michoacan, Mexico. The first changes in vegetation and use of soil for the cultivation of avocado occurred in the early 1970s; these changes increased as of the 1990s. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the land suitability for this crop with the local knowledge of the Region landscape and implement the Agrilocal model, with the premise that some of the socioeconomic and environmental factors that the farmers consider to determine which areas are more suited for avocado cultivation, are contained in the current and historical spatial patterns of distribution of this crop (observed in satellite images). The Agrilocal model results indicate that 87 and 62 % of the areas with the highest suitability (high and very high suitability categories, respectively), within the area of study, are used for the cultivation of avocado. This shows that the areas with the highest potential to implement this crop are scarce, mainly due to the competitivity between the growth of human settlements, the expansion of other crops, and the cultivation of avocado itself in the region. The application of the Agrilocal model was estimated desirable in the rest of the State of Michoacan regions, where the cultivation of avocado is important for the local economy. Allowing the uncontrolled expansion of this crop can cause environmental deterioration and put at risk the sustainability of this activity in this state.