Behavior of Alnus nepalensis D. Don in association with three forest species Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F.Blaque, Swietenia macrophylla King, and Cordia alliodora Ruiz & Pav. under agroforestry system

Abstract

The decrease in the sources that provide timber in
Ecuador, such as natural forests, is being reduced
and with this it is necessary to find new and innovative
alternatives for the management of forestry of forest
species. Agroforestry technologies offer sustainable
production of goods and services among these wood
products. The objective of this research was to study
the behavior of the forest species Alnus nepalensis,
Schizolobium parahyba, Swietenia macrophylla and
Cordia alliodora in association with three perennial
fruit species: Citrus lemon, Citrus aurantifolia
and Annona muricata, under an agrosilvicultural
arrangement. The study was conducted in the Santa
Marianita community of Caliche, Mira canton, province
of Carchi. The experimental design used was blocks
with three repetitions, the trial was established in rows
interspersed between forest and fruit species; Monthly
evaluations of the variables were performed: survival,
height, basal diameter and the annual current increase
(ICA) was determined. The information was analyzed
using descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test, frequencies,
regression and correlation. The variables analyzed are
considered mostly homogeneous with a tendency to
normal distribution; the coefficients r and r² allow to
infer that the species have a proportional growth. In
survival, growth in height, basal diameter and annual
current increase A. nepalensis presents the best results;
From the Student’s t-test it was determined that the
behavior of the four forest species is statistically very
different, however there are differences in the growth
rates it is evident that the four forest species have a
linear growth trend.