Especies de pinos de buenas posibilidades para la Provincia argentina de Misiones

Abstract

The ecological conditions of the Misiones province, in Northern Argentina, are discussed as to climate and soil factors including a classification of climatic zones and soil types. The world areas of natural distribution of pine species, especially those with similar ecological conditions to the Misiones province, from which introductions appear promising, are then discussed: A) Southeast of United States, for Pinus elliottii, P. palustris, P. taeda and P. echinata; B) Mexico, Central and South America, for P. oocarpa, P. strobus var. chiapensis, P. michoacana, P. pseudostrobus, P. caribaea (forma typica and var. hondurensis and bahamensis), P. tropicalis, P. cubensis and P. occidentalis; C) Southeast Asia, for P. merkusii, P. khasya and P. insularis. Some results of plantations carried out so far in Misiones with P. elliottii var elliottii, P. taeda, P. oocarpa and P. caribaea (forma typica and var. hondurensis), and also with P. patula and P. radiata, are cited. Likewise, the results of plantations in other sites of tropical and subtropical climates with P. pseudostrobus, P. occidentalis, P. merkusii and P. in­sularis are referred. Some data on growth of P. strobus var. chiapensis and P. tropicalis are also given. Considering that the pine species already tried out have shown promising results in Misiones, it is presumed that the other ones may have the same possibilities because they grow under more or less the same ecological conditions. Finally, suggestions are made for undertaking more detailed surveys on the subject, and the importance of seed sources and the introduction of mycorrhizal fungi are discussed.