ABSTRACT Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) has become an important health food as one of the berries with the highest known levels of antioxidant capacity, and its international demand has therefore increased. There is currently no cultivation of this species in Argentina, so all that is marketed comes from wild harvesting, with an inherent risk of resource degradation. Therefore, a process of domestication of this species has been initiated. Fifteen female and three male individuals (pollinators) were selected from previously identified natural populations of maqui from two forest types, coihue- or cypress-dominated. Those individuals were propagated vegetatively and the plants grown were installed in a cultivation plot under controlled conditions of solar radiation and water supply. Total height and diameter of main axes were measured in female clones during three consecutive seasons. Growth was modulated by the contrasting levels of solar radiation assayed, but not by the different levels of water supply. Clones growing under direct sunlight grew taller than those under shade net. Growth in height was higher in the second season, while in the third season the clones grew less in height but more in the sectional area of stems. No flowering or fruiting was observed in any clone or season. Maqui demonstrated the ability to acclimatise to culture conditions. This work constitutes the first study of selected maqui clones in the Andean-Patagonian forests of Argentina, with the aim of developing a productive alternative for farmers in the region.

RESUMEN El maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) ha cobrado gran importancia por ser uno de los berries con mayores niveles de capacidad antioxidante hasta ahora conocido y cuya demanda internacional se ha incrementado. Actualmente no existe cultivo de esta especie en Argentina; lo comercializado proviene de recolección silvestre, con riesgo de degradación del recurso. Por tanto, se inició un proceso de domesticación de esta especie. De poblaciones naturales de maqui previamente identificadas, se seleccionaron 15 individuos femeninos y 3 masculinos (polinizantes), provenientes de dos tipos de bosque: dominados por coihue o por ciprés. Estos individuos se propagaron vegetativamente y los plantines logrados se instalaron en una parcela de cultivo bajo condiciones controladas de radiación solar y provisión hídrica. Se midió altura total y diámetro de los ejes principales en clones femeninos, durante tres temporadas seguidas. El crecimiento fue afectado por los niveles de radiación solar, y no por los niveles de provisión hídrica. Los clones bajo radiación solar directa crecieron más en altura que aquellos bajo malla mediasombra. El crecimiento en altura de los clones fue mayor en la segunda temporada, mientras que, en la tercera, el crecimiento en altura fue menor, pero mayor el crecimiento en área seccional de tallos. No se observó floración ni fructificación en ningún clon ni temporada. El maqui demostró capacidad para aclimatarse a condiciones de cultivo. Este trabajo constituye el primer estudio de clones de maqui seleccionados en los bosques andino-patagónicos de Argentina, en vistas a desarrollar una alternativa productiva para el poblador rural de la región.

ABSTRACT Stand density management diagrams (SDMD) provide a guide for forest density management taking into account stands attributes such as trees´ diameter or volume. One of the most common species planted in Pampean plains of Argentina is Eucalyptus viminalis for multiple objectives: solid wood use or firewood in local markets, pulp for cellulose industry and to provide services for agriculture and cattle raising (windbreaks or cattle refuge). The objective of this study was to gather the available production information /inventory data and to develop a first SDMD for estimating standing volume, biomass and canopy cover of E. viminalis as a tool for forest managers aiming at different plantation purposes. Data to develop the SDMD were obtained from 161 plots, distributed along a climate and soil gradient. We also generated two predictive equations capable of estimating dominant height from the diameter of the trees as well as canopy cover from stand basal area. As an example of application, the SDMD was used to estimate the wood production of three alternative systems: a) an unmanaged plantation (simulating a common practice in the region), b) a mixed production system such as an agroforestry system, and c) a plantation that maximizes wood biomass or volume production.

RESUMO Os objetivos do trabalho foram: 1- determinar o efeito do estresse hídrico (sítios de implantação) e do genótipo (clone) na anatomia e densidade da madeira produzida em seis clones de salgueiros em três idades; 2- verificar como essas variações na anatomia impactam na condutividade hidráulica teórica do xilema (Ks) e no crescimento. Foram mostrados seis clones, de 13 anos de idade de origem do cruzamento Salix babylonica x S. alba (Ragonese INTA 131-25, 131-27 e 250-33), S. matsudana x S. alba (Barrett 13-44 e NZ 26992) e S. babylonica var sacramenta ´Soveny Americano´ implantados em duas situações com diferente estresse abiótico (sítio DM Delta Del Río Paraná com inundações recorrentes e sítio LH zona continental província de Buenos Aires, com menor disponibilidade da água e sem inundações). Foi determinado: morfometria dos vasos, densidade da madeira, Ks e incrementos correntes anuais em três idades (2, 7 e 12 anos). A interação clone x sítio foi a fonte de variação que maior impacto teve nas variáveis e foi significante para o diâmetro de vasos, densidade, Ks e crescimentos. Isso significa que dependendo do tipo de estresse sofrido no sítio de implantação, os clones respondem de maneira diferente em sua estrutura, funcionalidade e produção da madeira. Existem clones melhor adaptados ao estresse por inundação (americano e 26992) e outros mais adaptados nas condições moderadas de seca (131-25, 131-27, 250-33 e 13-44), obtendo respostas no nível do xilema, densidade e, portanto, a produção da madeira.

ABSTRACT The aims of the study were to evaluate the effects of abiotic stress (plantation site) and genotype (clone) on the wood anatomy and density of six Salix (willow) clones at three ages (2, 7, and 12 years), and the impact of these effects on the theoretical xylem hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and growth. The clones studied were ´Ragonese 131-25 INTA´, ´Ragonese 131-27 INTA´ and “250-33” (originated from crosses between Salix babylonica and S. alba), ´Barrett 13-44 INTA´ and “NZ 26992” (originated from crosses between S. matsudana and S. alba), and the clone S. babylonica var. sacramenta ´Soveny Americano´. They were planted in two sites of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with different abiotic stress: i) the Paraná River Delta, a site with recurrent floods, and ii) a continental site with lower water availability and no floods. The vessel morphometry, wood density, Ks, and current annual increments at the three ages were determined. The clone x site interaction was the source of variation with greatest impact, being this significant for vessel diameter, Ks, wood density and growth. This means that, depending on the type of stress at the plantation site, the clones responded differently, showing differences in their structure, functionality, and wood production. The results showed that the clones Soveny Americano and 26992 were better suited to stress by flood, whereas clones 131-25, 131-27, 250-33 and 13-44 were better adapted to moderate drought conditions, with responses at the level of the xylem and wood density, and therefore at the level of wood production.