376
According to the Chamber of Forest Industry of the Province of Tucumán,
3
the
estimated cost for the production system in strips is 1142 U$S/ha, with the 52% of
expenses concentrated in the first year and 25% corresponding to the task of strip
opening. Of the total amount, 80% is commonly covered by the National State in
accordance with Law No. 25,080 on investment in cultivated forests, which reimburses the money 1 or 2 years after planting, upon verification of the survival of 200
seedlings per hectare. There are also provincial laws that provides some indirect
benefits, such as the Tucumán Law No. 7021, which exempts the payment of the tax
on the gross income of these productive activities, the real estate tax, and the service
of irrigation of forested lands, among others.
The technology for seedling production of Argentinian Cedrela’s species has
been adjusted efficiently. The fruits are capsules and mature in the forest between
June and August depending on the species. When they acquire a light-brown color,
it is the adequate moment for collection, before their dehiscence. For C. angustifolia, it should be taken into consideration that it presents long periods without fruit
production (Aschero 2006); therefore, seed supply can be a “bottleneck.” To extract
the seeds, the capsules are placed under the sun in a dry environment until they open
(Lorenzi 1992). The seeds are winged and of an easy handling size, 1000 seeds
weight 18–33 g for C. balansae, 19.5 g for C. saltensis, and 42.5 g for C. fissilis, and
they have a germination rate of over 88% for the first two species and 59% for the
third one (Del Castillo et al. 2002). The viability of the seeds decreases up to 50%
from 1 year to the next, so it is convenient to use new seeds every year (Fornes et al.
2016). Using as substrate an inert mixture of perlite, coconut fiber, and blonde peat,
with slow release fertilizer, seedlings of adequate size for planting are obtained in
3 months. However, it is convenient to raise them for 12–15 months in order to
reach the field with larger and more vigorous plants. To do this, when they reach
5 cm in height and have adult leaves, the seedlings are placed in pots 20–25 cm high
and 6–7 cm in diameter, filled with soil and forest litter in a ratio of 2:1 (Monteverde
2006). The most vigorous seedlings should be selected in the nursery to increase the
survival in the field (Grignola 2014).
The first forest enrichment plantations in Argentina date from the early 1980s.
Actually, in the Northwest of Argentina, there are about 1000 ha intervened with
this productive system, mostly with species of the genus Cedrela, but also with
other native and exotic species, such as Jacaranda mimosifolia, Tipuana tipu,
Enterolobium contortisiliquum, and Toona ciliata var. australis. There have been
reported 530 ha in Jujuy, 345 ha in Tucumán, and 74 ha in Salta enriched with
Cedrela sp. specifically (Fornes et al. 2016). The good results obtained are evidence
of the success of this production system. For example, in an experimental plantation
of C. balansae located in Yuto (Province of Jujuy), the plants reached a DBH of
31 cm and a height of 14 m at 15 years of age. Likewise, in an experimental plantation of C. angustifolia in El Naranjo (Province of Tucumán), DBH of 36 cm and
3 Personal Communication: Chamber of Forest Industry of the Province of Tucumán
J. Grignola et al.
According to the Chamber of Forest Industry of the Province of Tucumán,
3
the
estimated cost for the production system in strips is 1142 U$S/ha, with the 52% of
expenses concentrated in the first year and 25% corresponding to the task of strip
opening. Of the total amount, 80% is commonly covered by the National State in
accordance with Law No. 25,080 on investment in cultivated forests, which reimburses the money 1 or 2 years after planting, upon verification of the survival of 200
seedlings per hectare. There are also provincial laws that provides some indirect
benefits, such as the Tucumán Law No. 7021, which exempts the payment of the tax
on the gross income of these productive activities, the real estate tax, and the service
of irrigation of forested lands, among others.
The technology for seedling production of Argentinian Cedrela’s species has
been adjusted efficiently. The fruits are capsules and mature in the forest between
June and August depending on the species. When they acquire a light-brown color,
it is the adequate moment for collection, before their dehiscence. For C. angustifolia, it should be taken into consideration that it presents long periods without fruit
production (Aschero 2006); therefore, seed supply can be a “bottleneck.” To extract
the seeds, the capsules are placed under the sun in a dry environment until they open
(Lorenzi 1992). The seeds are winged and of an easy handling size, 1000 seeds
weight 18–33 g for C. balansae, 19.5 g for C. saltensis, and 42.5 g for C. fissilis, and
they have a germination rate of over 88% for the first two species and 59% for the
third one (Del Castillo et al. 2002). The viability of the seeds decreases up to 50%
from 1 year to the next, so it is convenient to use new seeds every year (Fornes et al.
2016). Using as substrate an inert mixture of perlite, coconut fiber, and blonde peat,
with slow release fertilizer, seedlings of adequate size for planting are obtained in
3 months. However, it is convenient to raise them for 12–15 months in order to
reach the field with larger and more vigorous plants. To do this, when they reach
5 cm in height and have adult leaves, the seedlings are placed in pots 20–25 cm high
and 6–7 cm in diameter, filled with soil and forest litter in a ratio of 2:1 (Monteverde
2006). The most vigorous seedlings should be selected in the nursery to increase the
survival in the field (Grignola 2014).
The first forest enrichment plantations in Argentina date from the early 1980s.
Actually, in the Northwest of Argentina, there are about 1000 ha intervened with
this productive system, mostly with species of the genus Cedrela, but also with
other native and exotic species, such as Jacaranda mimosifolia, Tipuana tipu,
Enterolobium contortisiliquum, and Toona ciliata var. australis. There have been
reported 530 ha in Jujuy, 345 ha in Tucumán, and 74 ha in Salta enriched with
Cedrela sp. specifically (Fornes et al. 2016). The good results obtained are evidence
of the success of this production system. For example, in an experimental plantation
of C. balansae located in Yuto (Province of Jujuy), the plants reached a DBH of
31 cm and a height of 14 m at 15 years of age. Likewise, in an experimental plantation of C. angustifolia in El Naranjo (Province of Tucumán), DBH of 36 cm and
3 Personal Communication: Chamber of Forest Industry of the Province of Tucumán
J. Grignola et al.