Zonificacion agroecologica para cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en Tabasco.

Inglés. In this study, agroecological zones for adaptation of cocoa were defined in Tabasco State, Mexico. The study in based on two combined methodologies. The first one is a climatic analogue procedure proposed by Neild and Boshell (1976), which was applied to compare the main cocoa producer countries of the world and 32 locations in Tabasco. The FAO/UNESCO procedure to detect potential areas for different crops, modified for Mexican conditions by Ortiz and Pajaro (1986) was used as the second methodology to create the adaptability map for cocoa in Tabasco. According to the results there were no climatic analogue or similarity between the different main cocoa producer countries in the world and Tabasco. The resulting FAO agroecological zoning maps shows that the best FAO soil groups for cocoa growth were chromatic luvisol, euthric regosol and luvic arenosol. The total area of these suitable groups covers about 533,009 ha. ie 21.6 % of the total state area. Maps showing temperature isolines for the warmest and coldest month in the year were developed. Due to the fact that temperatures below 15 deg. C are suitable for growth and establishment of Phytophtora palmivora, isolines for the number of days with temperature below 15.0 and 15.5 deg C at 75 and 90 % probability level respectively were created.

Español; castellano. El presente estudio establece zonas de aptitud agro-ecologica para cacao en Tabasco. La definicion de zonas se basa en la combinacion de dos metodologias. La primera, es la desarrollada por Neild y Boshell (1976) que permite establecer analogias climaticas entre zonas productoras de cacao en el mundo y 32 localidades de Tabasco. La segunda metodologia utilizada es la propuesta por la FAO/UNESCO en 1978 y adecuada para Mexico por Ortiz y Pajaro (1986) para la deteccion de areas potenciales para cacao en Tabasco. De la primer metodologia aplicada, los resultados mostraron que no existe analogia climatica entre los paises productores de cacao en Tabasco. Los resultados de la segunda metodologia aplicada muestran que los suelos apropiados para cacao son Luvisol cromico, Regosol eutrico y Arenosol luvico con una extension de 533,009 ha. Se realizo el trazo de isolineas de temperaturas del mes mas frio, del mes mas calientes, numero de dias con temperatura menor a 15.0 y 15.5 grados C con probabilidades de 75 y 90 por ciento, observandose que el factor que mas limita el desarrollo del cultivo es la temperatura minima, ya que favorece el ataque y desarrollo de Phytophtora palmivora, mientras que las condiciones hidricas no presentan limitantes para el cultivo.