Estimation of damage to zapote mamey (Pouteria sapota (Jacq) H. E. Moore & Stearn) caused by the tropical storm Barbara in the Soconusco region, Chiapas, Mexico.
Villarreal-Fuentes J. M., Espinosa-Zaragoza S., Moreno-Basurto G., López-Hernández M. B., Díaz-Vicente V. M., López-Báez O.
Author Email: jmfv@unach.mx
Proceedings of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture 51 : 138-142
Abstract : The mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota (Jacq) H. E. Moore & Stearn) it is a fruit native of the Meso-American Region, their main use is for fresh consumption. In Chiapas, the trees occur in home gardens in association with other crops (fruit-bearing, ornamental, forest and vegetables). The present work has been to estimate the impact of the Tropical Storm Bárbara in the production systems of mamey. Field work was coordinated with support of the Social Organization Tuxtla Chico SPR de RL, which markets the zapote mamey to the interior of the Mexican Republic. To help in the operative processes, 20 students and 10 professors were assigned. Most of the established trees are seedlings collected within the region. The orchards of zapote mamey are established in association with fruit species (star fruit, chicozapote, mangoes, bananas and plaintains, rambutan, citrics and cocoa), ornamental (Hawaiian) and forest trees, roots (Yucca) and in smaller scale in monocultivo. The age of the trees is in 71% of the cases equal or less than 25 years, with 29% corresponding to plantations of more than 25 years. 35% of the plantations are managed without agrichemicals. Damage to the orchards from Tropical storm Bárbara were: (a) fall of fruits, (b) tree fall and (c) branch breakage.