VARIACIÓN MORFOLÓGICA E ÍNDICE DE CALIDAD EN PLANTAS DE Pinus cembroides var. cembroides Zucc.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the morphological and seedling quality attributes of provenances of Pinus cembroides from the states of Chihuahua, Coahulla, Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato and Queretaro. Seeds from each provenance were germinated under greenhouse conditions in a peat moss: perlite. vermiculite mixture There were significant differences In both, completeness and speed of germination, among provenances. The Chihuahua provenance germinated the earliest (11.60 d). At one month of age, seedlings from Coahu1la had the largest diameter (1.69 mm), while the Chihuahua source was the tallest (3.28 cm) At 8 and 11 months, the Queretaro source had the largest d1ameter, while the Coahuila source was de tallest At 12 months, 1 O seedllngs were selected at r-andom for biomass measurements and quality assessment. Agatn, there were significant differences among provenances, but the superior provenance was dependen! on the particular quality Index. Of greatest importance was the latitude origin Seeds from northern provenances have faster germination speeds, but were smaller in diameter et the of the study, while sources trom southern latitudes had slower rates of germination, but were larger at the end of the study. This appears to be an adaptive mechanism far survival.