SEED QUALITY OF SELECT TREES OF Tabebuia rosea (Bertol) DC. IN THE SOCONUSCO REGION, CHIAPAS, MÉXICO

Abstract

Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC., is a timber-yielding forest species used for the fabrication of furniture in México, which is why it has been exploited excessively and some genotypes with important genetic potential are being lost. To avoid this, the strategy of forest conservation called units of forest germplasm can be applied. In Chiapas, México, a selection program for individuals that are phenotypically superior in the species has been implemented; however, there is scarceinformation  about the quality of seed per individual, and specifically in their reproductive characteristics, being part of the efficiency and success of plant production in nursery. The objective of this study was to understand the morphological variation of fruits and the seed quality of 11 T. rosea individuals, considered supposedly as “plus” trees, from a population distributed in four localities of the Soconusco Region, Chiapas. Significant differences were found in fruit morphology between individuals. High percentages of purity  (92.50 %) were also found, which eases their management in cleaning. The average number of seeds per kilogram was 53,410. The moisture content was 11.05 %, which is why it is suggested to monitor them for storage; germination showed an average of 68.8%.