SOIL APTITUDE OF Eucalyptus urophylla S.T BLAKE ON THE TERRACE OF HUIMANGUILLO, TABASCO, MEXICO

Abstract

México imports forest products such as paper and sawn wood, so it is required to promote the surfaces of forest plantations in soils that are apt to contribute to satisfying the demand. The objective of the study was to evaluate the soil aptitude of Eucalyptus urophylla S.T Blake at a semidetailed level in the region of Terrace of Huimanguillo (TH), Tabasco, México, in 158,406 ha. The soil requirements of the crop were defined through a literature review. The information of the area consisted in a semidetailed map of the soils, physical and chemical data of the profiles, and variables of weather and relief. The evaluation of soil aptitude was based on the methodology of agroecological zoning proposed by FAO, and the final map was designed at a scale of 1:50 000 in a geographic information system. In the TH, the Acrisol (AC) group dominates in 84.9 % of the area, followed by Cambisol (CM) and Gleysol (GL). The zone of medium aptitude for E. urophylla represented 82.5% of the area, and coincides with those of AC; the restrictions are from very acid pH, low fertility in all the units, and imperfect drainage in the Gleyic Umbric AC. The CM and GL did not present aptitude for the crop. It is recommended to implement sustainable management practices to mitigate acidity, improve fertility and avoid water erosion in slopes of 6 to 25 %.