Differential growth of selected maqui clones in Argentina, according to their cultivation under different conditions of solar radiation and irrigation

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.