CARBON SEQUESTRATION BY Cedrela odorata L. IN A GENETIC TRIAL

Abstract

From the role of CO2 in global warming, carbon storage made by trees as a result of photosynthesis allows the mitigation of greenhouse gases. The genetic value of the trees of a species varies, and therefore, their ability to capture and store carbon; in order to understand these differences, height and DBH of eight year-old Cedrela odorata  trees was assessed from three provenances from the state of Veracruz (Catemaco, La Antigua and Misantla) with 4, 8 and 8 families, respectively, which were established in a provenance/progeny trial in the La Balsa Ejido, Emiliano Zapata municipality, Veracruz. With volume, carbon concentration in aboveground biomass was estimated using the IPCC method suitable for Mendizábal-Hernández. An analysis of variance (GLM) was applied with a fixed effects linear model. The total estimated carbon obtained from genetic testing was 3,111.07 kg; however, there were no significant differences among provenances or families, but the variation among trees was significant as it represents the possibility of making an individual selection to increase carbon sequestration. Thus, it can be concluded that CO2-capture efficiency can be increased in future Cedrela odorata  plantations if it is planted with known genetic offspring through the selection of the best trees.