Identification and selection of seed trees of Cinchona officinalis L. (“Quina”) in the district of Querocoto, Chota - Cajamarca

Abstract

The present investigation consisted of selecting seed trees of Cinchona officinalis L., in the buf­fer zone of the Pagaibamba Protected Forest, in the villages of San Luis and Paraguay, district of Querocoto, province of Chota, department of Cajamarca. For this, the individual valuation method was used through the selection criteria for seed trees, estimating their phenotypic characteristics and measures of dasometric variables: total height, DBH measurement, crown symmetry, flowering percentage, fruiting percentage, germination percentage and good phytosanitary status; evaluating the reproductive potential by analyzing the physical quality of seed through the ISTA standards (2016). Fifty-nine potential individuals were identified in an area of 0.98 km2, selecting 17 trees for seedlings that met the selection criteria: straight stem, symmetrical crown, flowering greater than 80% of its crown, abundant fruit, good phytosanitary status of the individual and of the seeds. The reproductive potential was 67 seeds per fruit on average, 18 fruits on the branch, 502 total fruits on the branch/tree on average and an average seed production per tree of 1262. An average seed purity of 82.22%, moisture content of 16.56% and germination percentage of 99.06% were obtained.