VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF THREE TREE SPECIES WITH CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE FROM THE TROPICAL DRY FOREST

Abstract

The tropical dry forest is a diverse ecosystem, but it is poorly protected. In Mesoamerica, this forest is among the most threatened by anthropogenic activities, which makes necessary agricultural practices that incorporate local germplasm preservation. We propose the propagation with stakes of Bursera copallifera, B. fagaroides, and Ipomoea pauciflora, three tree species of the tropical dry forest of Morelos, Mexico. We evaluated if stake survival was related to their diameter, height, and leave's presence for each tree species in a one-year greenhouse experiment. After one year, 79%, 39%, and 9% of the stakes of B. fagaroides, B. copallifera, and I. pauciflora became established, respectively. Only the leaf's presence influences stake survival. The propagation of stakes is a highly viable method for the two Bursera species. With stakes, peasants can develop live fences inside agricultural fields, preserve local germplasm, and simultaneously, the ecological interactions and the ecosystem functions of the species in the landscape. Our work contributes original and transferable knowledge for the vegetative propagation of tree species of the tropical dry forest. This knowledge can help with the conservation of the tropical dry forest and the sustainable management of tree species with ecological and cultural importance.